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Captain Flint	Today, the Walrus and Royal Anne sail in search of the Crescent Moon Flotilla. The Walrus is a thirty gun square-rigger, the Anne a first rate ship of the line, outgunning Flint's ship by over sixty guns, and notably larger with an extra mast to boot.      John Silver is taking his first turn captaining a ship on the Walrus, while Flint captains the Anne. While Flint's crew remain on the Walrus, the Anne is crewed by Charles Vane's men, offered in exchange for an unusual concession: being allowed control of the Stone for the defense of Nassau, and being given custody of the island's fort.      You may wish to be a part of the hunt, on the open seas. It would be easy enough to join either ship, as both have plenty of room for passengers. Or, knowing that the fort is currently occupied by one Benjamin Hornigold, you may instead wish to ensure a quiet and peaceful surrender of his place in the fort.      Those of you who decide to handle matters on the island will find everything where it was the last time you visited--no drastic and sweeping changes. Yet.      For those on the open seas, Flint has, through eye-witness reports, his knowledge of the Great Ocean, and the type of ships that the three-strong Crescent Moon Flotilla sails (a Dyrwoodan sloop, a West African ship, and an ancient Mesopotamian vessel), predicted a spot where they might make port. He aims to catch them on their way out of St. Augustine.      At present, the destination is roughly a day out, and travel back to Nassau once the Stone (and possibly the aid of the crews) is secured will take about a week, assuming you don't have faster means. What do you do?
Zero Kiryu	A tree stands on each deck, in a planter that has been secured to the deck with vines that have burrowed between the planks and secured themselves with thorns like nails. It's compact, no taller than could be expected for a man to pass through-- and a man can pass through the tree. A small set of steps is formed out of vine that allows this very action to be taken, in fact. A similar tree stands on New Providence Island, buried among the natural foliage. Ripe, red fruits hang from its limbs, tempting but obviously poisonous. Or, at the very least-- bright enough to make anyone think twice about eating it at all. As before, aboard the ships at least, Zero Kiryu has been dropping by with minor luxuries that anybody from a modern world can find in their grocery store in order to mollify any unease with the blatant witchcraft that he's doing-- though, as they're going to seize on witchcraft to start with, he's begun to wonder if this degree of ingratiation is even necessary. At this precise moment Zero has decided to be present on John Silver's ship, but he's made it clear from the beginning that he's a flexible piece to be played and will go where he thinks is necessary. Or, as the case may be, with Yuuki. It's been rare to see him without Yuuki in general, so no one is likely to be surprised if he disappears towards them. In the interim however, Zero's inclination to linger with Silver has to do with the fact that it's the first time he's captainning the Walrus. He seems to think that Flint is less likely to need assistance than Silver. It's during a lull in the journey in which he happens to be there that, Zero, having been lingering in silence for a little while, comments to Silver, "The way your world has integrated with the Multiverse is interesting. I've encountered quite a few worlds that don't cross-pollinate much. It's always struck me as short-sighted." "Is it more prevalent among the people of Nassau," he asks, meaning pirates more than anything else, "or has it spread wide here?"
Starbound Flotilla	Pavo is aboard the Walrus -- it's not that she has any attachment to Silver or the crew, it's primarily that she knows it a bit better than the Anne, having been aboard it far more often. She's more comfortable with it, and she'll need a bit of that for what comes next. The ship is laden with something rather unexpected: Hylotl fishing and hydroponics equipment, various Avian, Floran, and Glitch arms and armor, a few human appliances designed for improving the ease of space-station life. It's a surprisingly large amount of stuff!     Pavo and much of the other Flotilla have been rigging it to avian drones, which look like weird, head-sized crystals with strange and elegant circles of light crowning them. She idly rambles at Zero while he chats with Silver: "This world's livin' in an age of travel. Only makes sense. Whole lot of folks from my galaxy wound up all over The Line, and there's been a fair few other exoduses -- just depends on how much wandering spirit there is in the mortals of a place. Think there's an awful lot around here right now."
Cantio	Captain Flint's world is an unfamiliar one to Cantio. It's not as shiny as hers, not as cleanly angled, and everyone's faces look so gritty compared to what she's used to. It's all rather fascinating, and she can't help but stare at everyone as she loiters on the Anne, a cheap mantle and cloak drawn around her shoulders to try and help her blend in. Too bad her hair is so violently lilac in color, and that cloak doesn't completely hide how bright white and pink her clothes are. Even pulling the cloak's hood over her head and shuffling her feet while moving doesn't help matters much, but talking is still easy enough while she figures out her own angle of attack for this operation. "Captain Flint... Um. What kind of person is this Benjamin Hornigold?" There's a pause as she weighs her next words carefully. "Is there anything that might convince him to stand down or even join you? Alternatively... Do you think his men might stand down if he was unexpectedly... Removed?" She's totally asking about just icing the guy in the middle of a negotiation.
Hesinca	PREVIOUSLY: Hesinca didn't have prinnies. NOW: She does have prinnies. Sort of. She's on the seagoing ship (with the Pocket Netherworld once again available to approximately ten-tuple the space available on the inside of the ship) and trying to get her new prinnies set up. "Freaking - never had to read the instruction manual," she says, taking up some deck space with a stack of cloth shells and a stack of basketball-sized soul orbs. "Used to be - you just stuff the soul in there and that was that..."
Yuuki Kuran	ON THE ISLAND: Nassau Yuuki had been holding court in Nassau for a few days, relaxing in a pillow pile in a corner of the tavern and floating the whole place on an endless open bar tab that came out of a chest at the foot of the table adjacent to her sprawling-pile. Once the ships set sail, however, her own business began! By a lazy morning yawn, and lifting her head from the pillows, smacking her lips and reaching around for a water. She, instead, lifts a helpfully-refilled mug of House Drink that had been left for her, and sniffs it with a disgusted 'eugh'. "That's not hydrating at all." After a quick hair-braiding montage, Yuuki hops-to and trots off up the hill towards Hornigold's fort. Her leisurely pace gives George plenty of time to catch up -- or for her to catch up with George! MEANWHILE Naval Yuuki wears an epauletted greatcoat over a more normal 'shoujo-gothic fashion' black-outer white-inner pleated skirt and matching top, leggings, and knee-high boots. A compromise between nocturnal and Nassau fashion. She, personally, reclines just off to the side of the Walrus' deck, sitting against the tree's pot and watching John Silver work. "Isn't this so exciting? John's first voyage! I'm so happy for him." She comments, fully audible to God and everyone else on the deck of the ship.
Starbound Flotilla	George is here! It's not that Yuuki catches up with him or that he catches up with her. More like she finds him camping a ways away from Nassau, just chilling by a fire. It's not like this is a tourist spot, it's just that he's an old, old man, and the kind of dude who will camp somewhere if he gets a chance. When she passes nearby, he waves with a marshmallow on a stick, kicks dirt over his fire, and joins her, gnawing it raw off the twig and casting it to one side. "Heya Yooks, what's haps?" He'll deal with the campsite later, now is time for work.     "You got a plan on this one? Hope so, 'cause I don't!" He laughs a bit, fiddling with a cigarette pack but not properly smoking. "You're more convincin' than me, you wanna take point? Can't take much to start up some brain-dominoes and get 'em turned off of the exile-king shit."
Guzma	ON THE SHIP: Guzma is on the Anne. He could be on the Walrus, but several others are there already, and there are some he wants to hang out with on the Anne, and he wants to talk to Flint when he gets a chance. A strange butterfly like bug, with wings similar to eyes, rests on his shoulder like a bird, the Masquerain peacefully watching things. "Captain Flint. We've been out at sea for a while. I wanted to ask you: do you prefer the land, or the sea? Which is more comfortable to you? I've always been an island dweller, so the beach is nearby, but I lived in the city, yo. But you, you've been everywhere. You've gotta have a preference, right?" AT THE FORT: The Team Rocket Trio almost came, but since it was Flint's world where the last incident happened, Plumeria carefully decided to send Gladion instead. The hoodie'd teenager hurls a pokeball up and down in his hands, as he walks with Yuuki and George. "Boss. Old man. What's the plan? I know we gotta get this guy out, but are we challenging him to a battle? My dark monsters are the strongest." And then, completely without missing a beat, he casually says to George as he fiddles with the cigarette pack, "Yo, can I have one?"
Captain Flint	THE WALRUS                                        Silver has no shortage of work. Billy is standing in as interim quartermaster aboard the Walrus, owing to his experience and popularity among the crew. At present, there's a lull; both the Anne and the Walrus have favorable winds and there's presently no need to be barking orders.      "I think it's the most pronounced in Nassau, certainly," says Silver. His presence as captain is different than Flint's. The latter would usually be on the quarterdeck, close by the helm, but Silver is on the main, among the crew, using the rigging and the rails as improvised crutches. Presently, he's enjoying the temperate breeze. "Pavo's not wrong. And... we attract people looking for fresh starts, no small number of which are merchants, and they just..." He shrugs amiably. "Often end up taking little pieces of home with them. When you show up, if you've any intention of living there, it's best to have a niche. Something you can provide."      "People catch on quick. That's how we got the electric lights." Is it more widespread, though? He has to think about it. "I've heard tell that some places are adopting conveniences, but for military applications there's a certain... distrust of what's new and untested." He chuckles, grinning rakishly. "Though... I'm sure it won't be many more embarrassments like that," he says, gesturing over the railing to the Anne, "before that changes."      Hesinca is not alone. Randall, the slow-speaking, one-legged, perhaps-perhaps-not half-mad cook, is peering over the instruction manual. "I don't like instruction manuals," he concludes after a moment of goggle-eyed staring. "You should just force it in 'til it fits."
Captain Flint	THE ROYAL ANNE                                      Cantio, and anyone else who wishes to speak with Flint, will find him in the captain's cabin of the Anne. It's furnished well, having been an English warship before its addition to Nassau's fleet. There are even paintings, so, maybe a little too well, but the philosophy of the Royal Navy is a discussion for another time.      "We don't get along," says Flint, having waved Cantio in, and invited her to take a seat across from his desk. "He's idealistic, living in the past. Moreover, he was once a privateer--someone who does what we do, but for the benefit of a nation at war." Flint's brow furrows, and he looks up from a nautical chart to fix Cantio with a frown. "If England came one day telling him that he could sail under the banner of James the Pretender, he and his men would jump at the chance."      He chuckles mirthlessly. "But, because Captain Hornigold predates my own arrival, and once stood shoulder to shoulder with Henry Avery, he's well liked on the island. If he leaves, it should be a leaving of his own volition. Anything more... suspect would paint Captain Vane in a poor light."      Does he prefer the land, or the sea? "I prefer the sea, but I don't dislike land. I have two people who are very dear to me, on land." A gesture of his hand towards Guzma. "A family, too. What I'd like... is for the people on that island to have the freedom the sea confers without it being... commodified by a king and his merchant fleet."
Yuuki Kuran	"We're going to talk to your friend, old pirate man, and convince him that he can relax into our arms and he'll find care and not a knife. You're my most-important super not secret at all weapon! You're one of the most convincing men I know, George." Yuuki returns, to the old spacer. "My plan is to use reason, care, and big huge sacks of money to get what I want!" She enlightens, before Gladion asks if they're going to unseat a man with the power of Dark pokemon. "Hmmm... Nope! Today, Gladion, it's a lesson in 'soft' power. Here's what you do." A bat, somehow, ponderously flaps over to Yuuki, George, and Gladion with a heaving coinpurse twice as big as the bat is fat. Struggling, it flutter-fumbles the package into Gladion's hands. "That's two thousand reales in hard coin - the most spendable there is. It's yours! Money is a wonderful power, and in places like this, almost absolute. If you think you can get someone to do something just for money... isn't that like the strongest kind of control? The kind people agree to freely." She offers a little grin. "Try it out!"
Hesinca	Hesinca looks up at Randall. Disgaea characters possess a sort of Genre Sense, or at least they think they do (it's usually wrong about as often as it is right, which on balance equals net zero benefit?) In this case, Hesinca is utterly convinced that Randall knows his stuff. "You know what?" she says, grabbing the instruction manual and chucking it off the side of the ship. "You're right!" She grabs a soul orb, then she grabs a prinny shell, and then *forcefully* combines the two together before yanking on the back stitching to tighten it all together. "Dood- DOOD! ERROR 4318, dood! Reinstall PrinnyOS and reboot, dood! Error, soul-matrix-interface driver not installed, dood! Fatal error, dood!" "Eh, that seems to work well enough, you're right," says Hesinca, nodding.
Zero Kiryu	Zero looks up towards Pavo, and nods in agreement. "That follows. I suppose it's more difficult to want to go out and feel things out if you think that you've already been done with that for a long time." "Old generals will be old generals. When it comes to 'what works', though, it's the people in the field that need listening to. I suppose that's to our advantage for the moment, then." He says to Silver. Meandering over to where Naval Yuuki is seated, he sits down against the tree enclosure. The vines mold around him. Idly, Zero picks at her epaulet. "It's going well so far. Preferably it will not prove exciting, but I suppose that it is better for him if at least a little something transpires." "Which do you prefer, Silver? Steady or exciting?" Zero asks, directly.
Captain Flint	NASSAU                                          Yuuki and George won't have a hard time getting to the fort, or into it. Hornigold remembers George's face, knows the renovation was largely by his hands. Despite the fact that the entrance on the side closest to the town is guarded, all it takes is an introduction, a request, and a minute's wait or so to be let in.      Likewise, it's not hard to guess where Hornigold is. He's at the top, of course, in the shade of a lean-to which grants him reprieve from the bright sun without obscuring his view of the ships in the bay. Sat in a chair which once graced the Plymouth office of Sir Francis Drake, he regards George with a polite, curious smile around his pipe.      "George, was it? And the woman dead-set on pickling every bastard that wanders into Miss Guthrie's tavern. What brings the two of you up my way?" If Gladion is with him, he's Sized Up. He's about the right age to start a career in piracy.
Yuuki Kuran	NAVAL YUUKI: Smiling with a knowing laugh that captures the corners of her mouth for long moments in effusive bubbles of laughter, Yuuki pats Zero's shoulder. "We're here, and the goal is to make more friends. Still, a show of force is good for morale!" Naval Yuuki pumps a greatcoated bicep, her flex drooping the large red-and-gold trim cuff down her forarm. "John can have a little tension, while knowing he's safe. Soon he'll fly! And Billy, ah, Billy's doing good too." NASSAU YUUKI: "I'm very set on living, actually, Mis-ter Hornigold." Nassau Yuuki smiles, drawing her skirts up a hair in a curtsey. "I'm Yuuki Kuran. I'd like to employ you, permanently, to do what you do best."
Cantio	"No? That's unfortunate. Er. The part about him not getting along, not the idealist part." Cantio comments, taking the offered seat with a polite nod towards Flint and a more recognizing one at Guzma. "It sounds like a willful surrender or cooperation would be unlikely, then... That's too bad. Maybe more accomplishments at sea might help change their minds down the line, though." She pauses, still not looking convinced of her own words. "... If there's even enough time for that." She scratches her cheek idly, listening closely to Guzma's question and Flint's answer before stroking her chin instead. "Having a home you can feel safe in is important.  Safety not just from attackers, but from... Well, like you said. The king, a fleet of merchants, people that might tear it all down to line their pockets..." More things to weigh in the back of her mind. "What about Mister Vane? Do you think he has Nassau's best interests in mind? Or is it just about the money? Er. Stone?" A beat, and then she adds. "Are they on good terms with each other?"
Guzma	FORT: Soft power, huh? Gladion decides to tag with Yuuki and George, instead of sneaking around, as the money is hefted into his hand. Yuuki can see a sour glance at the money. A bitter feeling, seeing it. Perhaps he once had something like it, and this is reminding him of it...? Regardless, he carries it in, hiding it from Hornigold's men, but not stealing it for himself. When Hornigold sizes Gladion up, the teen puffs up his chest. Hornigold can get a very specific idea of what type of person Gladion is, just by his scowl, posture, and similarity to a lot of young pirates. The type to say something 'whatever' as a defense to everything he dislikes, because he's been hurt enough. "Gladion. Monster trainer." He says, trying to appear like an equal to the other two in his tone. THE ANNE: "Freedom, huh? That's what I want for my gang, too. The freedom to express themselves as whatever they want, to be a group of misfits wandering around having fun. Po Town's a small start, nothing like your Nassau, but someday, hopefully it'll grow bigger."
Starbound Flotilla	"I've got convincing *ideas*, I'm not a convincing *man*." George says, chuckling several times. "But, y'know, big huge sacks of money, that'll get you far with privateers or ex-privateers or, y'know, whatever. Whoever. Most folks, really." George's principles get compromised by other vices. He offers one to Gladion. "If you can take it, you can have it, kid." This... isn't a proper cigarette. It's absolutely *miserable* to smoke. Like, bitter, vile, just gross. However, it's full of healing substances -- there's a sense of passive revitalization. George smokes these when he's around people who can kill him, who he hasn't fully started trusting yet, for a particular reason.     They enter, greet, meet; there's really just not much to detail.     "George it was, is, hopefully gonna be." He says, lighting up his hospital-smelling cigarette cheerfully. "Moonfin's away on other biz, got some work to do out at sea, so you've got this old man. I'm gonna admit two things to ya," He leans forward, tapping the ash out of his cigarette. "First, Moonie's our speaker, I can't negotiate for shit, so go easy on me. Second, now that nobody in the Flotilla is here, I can do *stupid* stuff. I hear you got some *opinions* about some monarchs currently warmin' some thrones that ain't theirs. Am I right? Folks around here probably know my *monarch takes*, I wanted to talk to you while Moonie ain't got an eye on me, see if we can get a deal runnin'. The kind where we give ya cash and money and you hopefully get me what I want, which is some heads." He bobs a finger up and down. "The dead kind."     He turns to Yuuki, eagerly shooting her a thumbs-up. This is, apparently, George's kind of improvisation!
Guzma	Gladion takes the cigarette. He starts smoking it. He immediately begins gagging. He tries to keep smoking it. He's not going to lose to a cigarette. This is the worst day of his life, however, if you go solely by the expression on the blonde's face.
Yuuki Kuran	Yuuki offers back a glowing thumbs-up. Cash Sack Bat kee's affirmatively, having roosted on Yuuki's braided hair. "George has always been one of the most decisive rogues I've had the pleasure to meet, and I completely agree: I would pay a king's ransom for the kings of Spain or England. I would like to purge this world of the callous and uncaring. I'd like for you to move your chair down out of the fort, and into an office overseeing the betterment of the island of Nassau as the headmaster of a school for useful skills and the providing-for of the free people who call this place home. In your place I would put the warlord Charles Vane, who would sit where you are, on that parapet, or set his trusted men, to oversee the waters where he would call home with a singular passion. And I would have you raise Nassau to get me those crowns." She spreads her hands open, invitingly, to Captain Hornigold. "Because this is where I'd like to call a home as well. For myself, and the Concord. It is a jewel of life. It's worth being awake for."
Cantio	"The freedom to live as they like, the freedom to follow their passion... Are we all looking for the same thing in different places?" Cantio chuckles, leaning back in her seat for a moment before regarding both Flint and Guzma with a firm stare and slapping her open palm down on the desk in front of her. "The City of Cadenza might not have the military force of Nassau or the grit of Po Town, but we know a lot about music, performances, lighting... If any of that can be of any use to either of you, please... Please, don't hesitate to ask, alright?" She swallows just a bit anxiously at that, doing her best to sound supportive while keep her hand on the desk in case it ends up playing out with either Guzma or Flint following suit. Cantio's only going to hold it there for a few seconds before pulling back if neither of them join her, though. It's kind of an awkward gesture even for her.
Captain Flint	THE ROYAL ANNE                                     Flint is asked his opinion of Vane, and what Vane might think of Hornigold. "Charles Vane respects strength, and isn't above testing it. He'll strike who he thinks he can, when he stands to gain from it, and he'll let his men do the same. In my assessment of him, the only things he cares about, with regards to his image, are looking strong and consistent. More than that, I can't say how he feels about Hornigold."      "What I can say," says Flint with a confident inflection, and a nod towards Guzma, "And what Mr. Guzma may himself respect, is that despite our differences, we share a desire for a free Nassau, and we both realize that the world is changing too quickly for us to act as if the rules of yesteryear still apply. Money isn't so important to him as the ability to make his own destiny. That... he will not sell. And he will fight to keep his agency."      There's a smile which grows at the mention of the arts. "As for your own contribution, Cantio, I should be very happy to have it. Once a school has been built, perhaps an eye could be turned to an education in the arts."                                    THE WALRUS                                        "I *prefer* steady," says Silver with that perfectly-honest-frown of his. "But I know better than to expect it. That way, if everything does go steadily, I can be pleasantly surprised. And if it doesn't, I'm already on my feet." The frown turns up at the corners; a wry smirk.      "Thanks," says Billy to Yuuki with a sheepish smile, on his way belowdecks to listen to grousing from the carpenter's mate.      "*We* don't like manuals," says Randall, nodding sagely. He's not supposed to, but Hesinca will get an extra portion from the old cook tonight.
Captain Flint	NASSAU                                         "And what is it that I do best?" The fort is a double-edged sword to him, and Yuuki's power of perception lays plain the truth: he stays here because it's a point of pride, but also because he feels there's nowhere else he can go. The Pretender is still in exile, not likely to take the throne. The cause he tells his men they fight for is tenuous at best. He's stuck.      He seems to misunderstand why Gladion is here. "I don't sail anymore. The boy's the right age, but he'll have to learn somewhere--" Hornigold can smell what Gladion is smoking. "Good God, man. Have you come here smoking a barber's tonic?" He pauses, listens to George's proposal.      There is a glint in his eye. A stirring of something. "Out with it, then. What are you selling?"
Priscilla	Given the fairly thorough strategic meeting back in the tavern, amidst Zero's mysterious plant power and which Yuuki appears to have declined to leave at some point through the next week, Priscilla's return to the fold here is simple and pre-decided. With so much projection of leverage centered in relatively few Elites, she isn't particularly bothered about splitting parties and to seeing who has what in hand. It wasn't traditionally that way, but if George and Yuuki have decided to do the same thing and accepted Guzma's crew along for the ride, they must have it in hand.     Instead, she makes her appearance aboard the Anne; the ship that she'd personally seen captured and taken in that desperate maneuver when Flint's control over his crew was at his weakest, and currently run by the man whom she had backed when even Silver had been ready to take him out. The increased size of the deck suits her as well, but for the most part, it's so she can assess the inactive crew still about, find Flint, and then ask him, vaguely yet emphatically, if he would like to be well underway to their final destination by now.
Yuuki Kuran	"James Flint, Captain of the Walrus and now Royal Anne, joined hands with my Concord without knowing the fate of his heart. Blind faith. James Flint has proven himself to me as a capable man, and, more than that, one who cares. He has the passion to build. He wanted something clearly, and was willing to work towards it diligently." "For all of this I will give him a nation." An indicating gesture at George. "The Concord is a family of incredible people, backed by the meetings of incredible resources. We have simple rules, and have the power to keep our lives simple. To make Nassau whole, and a part of the Concord, I need men in the right places." She gestures away from the bay, into the city. "You are one of the most seasoned, veteran captains on the entire island. You look at Gladion here and you assess him - potential, hunger, means, capability. And you render a judgement--" She snaps her fingers. "Like that. You can build a lesson plan in your head, understand the ways to make gentle corrections, and have survived some of the worst yourself. Just because you reach the twilight of doing, means you find yourself at the sunrise of teaching. You sit on history, because you know it is important." "Benjamin Hornigold, to Nassau, you are the priceless weight of history, luck well-spent on experience and hard-bartered to gracefully land you here. You see potential everywhere. I want you to grow it." Her gesturing becomes pointing, still at George. "Because as the amazing George has put so finely: I want those crowns, Benjamin. The crowns hurt the men I liked, so I've come to demolish them and enrich my family with the plunder." She brings her hands together, fingertips touching. "Won't you join it, Benjamin, and build? With James? And Charles? We'll make a better offer to everyone."
Hesinca	"Yeah, screw manuals! I'm a demon, I've been doing this sorta thing for centuries, I can figure this out on my own." She gets through three more prinnies before she manages to get one that works as it should.
Captain Flint	BOTH SHIPS                                       Flint informs Priscilla that St. Augustine is a few hours away yet at the Walrus' top speed--it's slightly slower despite the Anne's greater weight. Hours thusly pass. Occasionally there is the cry of gulls amidst the slapping of water and the chatter of men at sea. In the fading hours of daylight, as the sky is a beautiful red: "Sails! Port side!" It isn't long before this is communicated between both ships. The captains of both take to their looking glasses. By the naked eye, they're just barely visible on the horizon, three distinct blips.      The course of both ships is altered. An aggressive tack would be the choice, if they intended to board; to put the broadsides of both ships against the prows of the flotilla, so those ships could use only the guns at the aft to repel a board. But somewhere on that flotilla there is an artifact which could easily steal the wind from the Concord pursuers, rendering such an endeavor moot.      Instead, they'll sail board to board--meaning that the intention is to stay in the wind and bring the side of the nearest Nassau vessel parallel to the nearest Crescent Moon ship. The reasoning is simple: it couldn't possibly be interpreted as hostile unless the Nassau vessels were suicidally stupid: cannons in this era are a last resort, and no one would willingly put themselves in the teeth of another ship's broadside if their intentions were hostile, pirates least of all.      Your first obstacle in reaching the Flotilla will be the fading light. Flint explains, over the radio, that it's common for ships to avoid others by trying to lose them in the darkness, then furling their sails to reduce their profile. How will you proceed, once the sun is down?
Yuuki Kuran	"Ah, this is why I like you, John! You're so refreshingly..." Naval Yuuki snaps her fingers, scrunching up her face. "There's a smart word for this but I can't look it up right now." She complains, because Nassau Yuuki is currently doing her Bass Boosted Disney I-Want Song version of her pitch, as Hornigold took the first version and went 'okay but what's your pitch' and does not have time to mess with her phone. "Emotionally... agile. You're very focused on living! I admire that." With a quiet smile, Yuuki returns Zero's picking at her epaulettes by picking at the curl of a vine-and-leaf on his big metal tree-chair. "I'm struck by how bad I feel for people who can't cross moving water."
Guzma	"It's a cigarette." Gladion sputters, trying to keep it in. He moves it between his fingers, letting it leave his lungs. When Hornigold assumes he's there to teach Gladion, Gladion corrects him. "I'm a member of the Concord. Not just some kid. Don't be deceived by my age - I'm a monster." It's both meant to be 'impressive' and 'intimidating', but the short size of the kid doesn't help, though the tone and delivery is spot-on. But, Gladion doesn't move to disrupt Yuuki's spiel. He can see something in Hornigold. Under the mask, he's smart. He's survived by being smart. "You're a romantic, aren't you? You want your big kahuna on the throne, but it doesn't drive you bitter that you're trapped out here, does it? Hope, ideals, that keeps you moving." Despite all the dumbassery he's said earlier today, it's surprisingly eloquent, when he lets the veil slip. "Our family is the strongest. The smartest. The most iron-willed. You could be part of something big."
Zero Kiryu	Zero makes an affirmative noise towards Silver. It seems that it wasn't the answer he was expecting, but there's no judgment in it. He's had things go sideways enough times that whatever 'excitement' might have been squeezed out of those situations is dispersed. He much prefers the forked plans that result in some sort of gain either way, but that's not really been his doing personally. Yuuki, and Priscilla. While pondering the question to follow he raises a hand parallel with the hand that Naval Yuuki extended into the air, lacing his fingers through hers and pulling it back down to a rest. It's not an attempt at discouraging the gesture-- evidently it just served as an independent prompt. Staring into John Silver's face, he asks, "What do you want, in the end, John Silver? A quiet retirement with untold riches? A ship of your own? A Duchy in Nassau? And I do mean the end. When you're old and grey, if you make it so far, where do you want to be? And if you do not wish to be old and grey-- for having died young and brilliantly, or for having outstripped mortality, I would like to hear that too." A problem appears. Zero doubts that he can handle it all on his own, but he's had a plan for how to assist the ships directly if he had to for a little while now. He extends a free hand into the air, his eyes gleaming a dangerous, bloody red. Each of the trees on the decks begin to grow-- unnatural vines and branches snake down the sides of the vessels symmetrically, forming a series of nodules along the hull that are above the water. Once they're firmly established and reach a certain size he squeezes his hand into a fist, and the nodules grow into great oar-like vines. They begin, slowly at first, to paddle the ships-- and then begin to accelerate, to offer speed in proportion to the sheer strength that Zero is able to physically leverage. If it gives either of the crews trouble he responds in accordance with whatever feedback he can hear nearby OR through his tree, and then finally physically relaxes again. "I hadn't thought about it before," Zero admits to Yuuki, "but that does seem unpleasant."
Captain Flint	Night will of course last hours, and there will need to be a consistent means of KEEPING TRACK of those three ships.      When the sun rises hours later, the next of your challenges will involve GETTING THEIR ATTENTION. Each ship follows a different deity:      Ondra's Grasp is a sloop from a relatively young country known as the Dyrwood, on the world of Eora. It follows, as one might guess, the Eoran deity Ondra, known also as the Lady of Lament. Waterspouts are held to be a sign of her presence, and aside from the sea, themes of 'letting go' and 'forgetting' are central to her cult.      The African ship, the Eye of Olukun, follows the highly well-known and many-faceted deity Olukun, also known as the Owner of the Oceans. He represents the ocean and its mysteries, but also its prosperity. Often, he is accompanied by two spirits: a doll holding a mask--Samugagawa--and a serpent, Acaro, representing life and death respectively.      The oldest vessel of the three, Sirsir's Blessing, is also the one with the least documented deity. Little is known of Sirsir save his association with the sea, but he may be a manifestation of the more well-known deity Marduk.      The Crescent Moon Flotilla is a cooperative, community-led endeavor. To GET THEIR ATTENTION, your methods will need to appeal to enough of their number to warrant altering their course.
Starbound Flotilla	"Huh, this stuff? It's my special blend. You want one?" He offers one with a tone and posture that make it hard to tell if he's being, uh, entirely serious. "Director over there is *buyin'* rather than *sellin'*, so to speak. What I'm doin' is *shoppin'*. Specifically, for help. I heard a while back, you had some ideas about James. Not *Flint*, I mean *James*. I heard you had some ideas about what he's entitled to. Now," He makes some wobbling-hand motions. "James, I could take or leave, but what *I'm* here for is heads with crowns on 'em, 'cause I'm a big fan of that. I know you aren't salin' much, which is why I'm here."     "Specifically, to get ya workin' on what *you* want." There's a gleam in George's eye here. "I'm here to offer guns, gear, the works, from the Flotilla. Put'cha in charge of what *you're* after, not just guardin' this island, you know? Sailin' yourself or no, you've got the know-how and know the names to get it done, don't ya?" He knows what he's doing. Specifically: Hornigold kept his crew together because he espoused the intent to get James back on those thrones, whether he believed that authentically or not. And if George offers an opportunity to Hornigold, a chance to achieve his goal, he can't rest on his laurels because his men will schism -- partially from idealism, partially from the sight of gold. Some will no doubt still be loyal to that cause, and demand Hornigold give them this chance. Some will no doubt have settled, or won't have cared that much to begin with, and split from the former. Either way, this proposition cuts Hornigold's support in an effort to manipulate his men, and asks of him: Do you want half your men, or half your men and a lot of money, guns, and gear, while you're out of our way?     "What're you thinkin' about what I'm putting down here, H-G?"
Guzma	As they approach the ships, affirming Cantio beforehand, Guzma leaps onto Golisopod, with Masquerain coming with him as a scout, and moves to swim towards the closest of the three ships. Golisopod's going to swim all night, and put in its exertion, for a very specific reason. Seeing in the dark through the bugs to lead the three forwards, Guzma radios coordinates of the ships every once in a while, to get them going. He gets exhausted, as does Golisopod, but when it comes to getting a ship to listen to them... A real water spout is difficult to create without a dedicated water or air Pokemon, but Guzma tries anyways. He radios out - <"If any of you can help me create a waterspout that launches me onto the deck of this Dyrwood ship, now's the time, yo!"> Golisopod starts to swim, quickly, trying to whirl the water around and create a spout through sheer force, speed, and field shaping ability, with Masquerain cheering it on through weird noises. If this works, they can make it look like Golisopod and Guzma are envoys of Ondra, perhaps.
Starbound Flotilla	Pavo gets on her radio. "First? You had a plan here, right? Somethin' to really *impress* the mortals? Well, I've got the showboat ready -- a whole lot of blessings. Some sugar to make the medicine go down. All the conveniences, some weapons and armor to soothe the stone-trade, all'a that." She rambles into her radio -- since she's not in her armor, it's a big appliance kept near her workspace.     "You want me to arrange 'em any special way to fit your schemes here? I'll give ya tac-control on 'em, but I'm gonna run them if you don't." Pavo's drones start to whir, and take off, flitting out of her workspace, up out the passage to the deck, and start to whirl around the Walrus in formations. What's Priscilla's scheme, and how can they help?
Cantio	"So the way to winning him over would be to show our own power, then..." Cantio murmurs, the topic of Vane making her look just a bit more uncomfortable. "Or at least, showing that we can't be intimidated by whatever he does." She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before giggling nervously. "That's easier said than done, though. I imagine, anyway. I haven't met him before, and... Er. Y-you know, maybe I shouldn't be around for whatever thatmeeting is if he's..." She trails off, somehow managing to intimidate herself in the process. She also jumps in her seat when she notices Priscilla coming by to speak as well, her sudden appearance doing no favors for her blood pressure (or whatever equivalent weird computer people have). She'll have time to calm herself down overnight. Once it's time to begin, actually reaching the ships seems easy enough with all the options at everyone's disposable. Getting their attention, however, could be much harder. With Guzma calling for assistance, she reaches into her digital inventory of assorted stuff, digging out a rather sleek-looking cube while approaching the side of the Anne. <<"Waterspout, waterspout... I think I've got something for this. I've only tested it once for something else, but let's see if it really works!">> Grabbing a toolbox out of that same shimmering space in front of her, Cantio gets to work. She fiddles with the insides of the cube, twisting things, yanking other things out, even lasering a bit of it briefly, then hurls the whole thing into the sea. Moments later, the cube starts paddling forward rapdily beneath the surface, beelining for Guzma's position. Once it reaches him and the Goliopspod, it adds to the water-churning power of his Pokemon, all while letting out an unearthly, yet soothing musical tone to try and add to the divine feel of the whole display.
Captain Flint	NASSAU                                            Most people on Nassau tend to respond better to the bass-boosted I Want Song, because many of them are refugees from places where you never ever sang it even in private, under pain of being disowned.      Hornigold takes a long draw of his pipe. "A nation." He chuckles, shaking his head at Yuuki. His gaze shifts then to George, then Gladion. "So, he roped you all in, did he," is what he says following an exhale of blue-grey smoke. "The man is arrogant and presumptuous... but lately, he's been successful more often than not."      The old captain stands from his chair, setting his pipe down. "Before your people came to this island, the southwestern rampart of this fort was partially collapsed," he begins. He points downward. "Not only is the one weakness of this stronghold now mended because of his say-so, and his tools," a nod towards George, "...but every day, I see new faces drawn here by the promise of what this place represents. ...and I am forced to wonder how many have Flint's name on their lips."      "As if that weren't enough, a man-of-war guards the bay, with a second likely on its way back from whatever prize he's out chasing." There's a moment of silence from him, and he looks out over the bay, surveying that which he's guarded for years now.      "I loved one of those crowns, once. My men, the same," he says, turning, giving George a hard look.. "And we were proud of it. It sounds like you're offering us something that we can be proud of again, and I admit I believe you can give it to us. But if I'm to join your 'family," he says, looking over at Gladion, "I want to be treated like family. We will make enemies, should we try to make ourselves into something other than thieves awaiting a noose. I want your guarantee that you will stand by us even if all of those crowns should send their men against us."
Yuuki Kuran	Yuuki thinks on this for a moment. George - brilliant as he is, once more proves his worth by reminding her of Hornigold's own Disney I Want-Song. Gladion, a brilliant darkness among lighter counterparts, shows that same shine she has come to love and expect from all those she'd call family. "I'm very sorry I wasn't clear, Benjamin." "James Flint has trusted me and fallen into my arms, and for that, I'll move the world. I would do the same for you." "Charles Vane will hold this port, and make it strong. James Flint will build this land, and make it strong. Eleanor Guthrie will build a market, and make it strong. Benjamin Hornigold, I'd like for you to build men and make them strong. To choose your family well, and raise them up." She leans against the wall, closing her eyes into the sun. She looks, for a moment, daydreamingly exhausted. "And then when you take the crown of Spain, you can do whatever you like with it. Let's live in the world where we make the better offer to both halves of the crew. A Spain that owes its freedom to Nassau."
Captain Flint	THE WALRUS                                          John Silver, the Emotionally Agile quartermaster, is asked about what he wants in the End. "To be honest with you, Zero, I've rarely ever thought that far ahead. Yuuki is right--I'm focused on living." He grins, knowing that's not much of an answer. "Though I suppose I've come to like these dirty fucks," he admits, to the amusement of a few crew members who happen to overhear.      "When I'm old and grey, I'll be satisfied that I've beat the odds. I'll have a quiet life somewhere I can enjoy what I've earned... maybe even with a few friends."                                        ZERO                                            There is little, if any, protest, in the face of Zero's assistance. Both Vane's loaned men on the Anne, and the Walrus crew, are accustomed enough to Zero's talent to recognize his help for what it is. Silver and Flint work with him, and with the respective crews of each ship, to strike a balance between the vine oars and the sails that speeds the ships without putting them too far apart.
Captain Flint	GUZMA AND CANTIO                                      ...meanwhile, hatch a plan to impress the Ondrites. Golisopod is an underwater ace, and what it lacks in fine manipulation it more than makes up for in strength, especially with Cantio's assistance. While the Ondrites are the most likely of any nation's people to be good sailors, the Dyrwoodans are not known for their prowess at sea.      There is some panic abovedecks--everyone knows what the waterspout Means, big M, but nobody knows what it means, little m. This is not something they ever expected to see, much less navigate around. As the waterspout rises, he can make it onto their deck unharmed, amidst awed murmurs. Eventually, a human man of ruddy complexion with blonde hair and a full beard approaches. He's dressed in practical clothes, but there is an amulet of a crescent moon nestled in a cresting wave around his neck, and he bears a staff with an opal set at the top that glimmers faintly in the darkness.      His accent is like someone from the Southern United States. "I'm Abbot Hafmacg," HAV-madge, "Of Ondra's Giftbearers. Who does the Lady of Lament bring before us, and with such music, no less?"
Guzma	Golisopod rides up the water spout, but Guzma does something tricky. Midway through the spout, he takes a gamble - and puts Golisopod in its Pokeball. So, instead of clearly having a sea beast, he lands feet-first on the deck. His golden bling and jacket makes him seem clearly Multiversal, but they are as well. His accent is more 'Hawaiian' if any exists. "Alola, yo. I am Guzma of the Concord. We've come here today to have a discussion with your fleet. Our ships..." He gestures wildly towards them, accentuating his oddness to seem more accurate as a possible divinely-backed messenger. "Mean no harm to yours. If your fleet drops anchor, we have much to discuss...and to offer." A grin. It's kind of a bastardy grin, but Guzma is clearly not *lying*. This isn't a trap. He's just trying to seem like a big man, and he might be.
Zero Kiryu	"Answer the question again, without the fetters of realism. Imagine that you have a magic ring, and your answer is fettered only by the reality that it cannot bring harm to the Rukh," Zero responds to John Silver, without the faintest moment of hesitation. Now that his vine-oars are stable in the water and one of the three ships has a foot in the door, he turns his attention towards the Eye of Olukun. He produces in the palm of his hand a seed, and hurls that seed out into the ocean in the direction of the african ship. The seed falls into the water -- surprisingly close to the Eye, perhaps enough to be noticed, though it wouldn't be hard to miss among the waves -- before it begins to grow. Tangles of plant matter shape themselves to appear like a serpent; it is crude, there is no imagining that it is not a thing of plant matter and vines bearing a visage, but still, it is a colossal thing that -- on taking on enough mass to function -- begins to propel itself through the water, circling the Eye several times just below the surface before it is guided to burst from the waves towards the fore of the ship. Its tail begins to 'grow' onto the rear in the fashion of vines, its bulk sufficient that although it is raising itself up, it has plenty of additional mass to do this while still being quite ambulatory. It stares down, blindly, at the deck of the Eye. However-- it is only one icon, and that one icon is merely a means to get the foot in the door. Zero is no ambassador unless the purpose is to be threatening. It will be possible to step through the serpent into onto the ship shortly, assuming nothing is done to shake it away. Observing -- from multiple angles -- that Yuuki is growing rather tired (though the one expressing it is a more distant Yuuki than the one at hand), Zero re-shapes his seat to situate himself behind her, draws his hand away from hers, and lightly rubs her shoulders. "Too much daytime activity?" He asks her.
Priscilla	Given that Flint's intention is to approach the flotilla (lower case) under ordinary means, Priscilla waits in reserve until nightfall, allowing the vampires to hande that particular phase. She spends a short while, instead, conferring with Pavo, with some of the information she'd gathered from the obvious sources, and then some things she'd brought from home, and waited for the appropriate period of high moon and quiet waters.     With the Flotilla's certainly at-least near-deific ability to sense the location of special rocks, Priscilla has the geometric coordinates of the Stone of Storms' housing pinned down during the pursuit, and then spends the following time out on the highest point of the deck, where she can most easily feel the air. There, she spends some time to 'meditate' closest to being her element, at night, and focus on that same location herself. There's no sign of her doing anything, save for the subtlest sign of the soft, regular trails of thin ice vapour that come from her place. One for each slow exhalation; something entirely superfluous on its own.     Once Guzma and Cantio are coordinating, and the rest are ready to move, Priscilla makes use of the personal power she's leaked gradually into the air, and caused to converge around the Stone's shrine-approximation. Conjuring to mind the image of many bright, blue, cold and starry moonlit nights of old, Priscilla first creates a tiny 'storm' --little more than a whirling wind-- inside, then intensifies it, until it can batter doors and rattle fittings, and then again, until it rushes through cracks in boards and the edges of doorframes, and its swift, whispering fingers circuitously curl through every deck and cabin.     Then, she expands it further. Geometrically. Making clear where its originating point is. Creating a circle of wind that is briefly, far too unseasonably and northerly cold at its edge, but hollow and extremely calm at its center. She goes sweeping and expanding it over the ship, then another, and then a the third in close formation, until it can encompass the Walrus and Anne in the same circle, demarcated by where long strokes of gleaming blue ice are painted over the night waters. Kept at a constant shape and rate of rotation, she can maintain a relatively thick ring of supernaturally glitter that should be fairly dangerous for a period ship to ram its hull through, and commit to the VFX of making the moonlight sparkle, but little else.     From there, the last stage of her showing up is to borrow some of Pavo's magnorb tools, so she can have them carry a bevy of Ancient Babylonian gaudy golden trinkets, exotic Hylotl-procured seashells, a number of exotic and primitive dolls and serpent trinkets from home, and split several of them up to follow each envoy, appropriate to their ship. If she can have some of Biteblade's handicrafts as well, in the African style, to compliment Pavo's Aztec-adjacent, the more the better.     The remainder form around her, where she can choose which of the decks have the Stone --wearing her ancient white and golds, and an ivory mask procured from the Lordsblades, which would of course only show reflective 'snake eyes' behind them-- and flanked by the three given over to the best, visual embodiments of as many shared themes as she can get --death, loss, magic, knowledge, judgement, wealth, and other such things, embodied in the magic sword made of solid moonlight, the (shrouded) presence of the scythe and its connotative aura, and the similarly borrowed Gold and Silver Tracer pair (more likely than not, a royal replica, but that part is irrelevant here).     Also she sure doesn't start delivering terms first, because she wants everyone to get in on this, and answering second is a form of leverage.
Captain Flint	"Fallen into your arms?" The old salt snorts. "He's got a woman already, and a man, so I'm told. Insatiable, is he?" Quips aside, he walks back over to his chair for another puff of that pipe. "So. I'm to teach the new generation of sailors for this nation of thieves. Captain Vane will defend the bay in my stead, Eleanor Guthrie will remove our dependence on her father's connections... and Flint will see that we have the infrastructure a nation needs to survive."      "It's a handsome plan." One that gives him the option to one day strike for what he believes in, and win for having done it. He nods. "I'll give the fort over to Vane, on three conditions. The first is that the school in which I shall teach be constructed within a month's time. The second, that a stipend be paid to me, for disbursement to my men, until such time as they are able to find gainful work with other crews or elsewhere on the island."      Another pull, another exhale. "Third, the chair comes with me."
Yuuki Kuran	On the Walrus, Yuuki is absolutely, positively, patently Completely Useless because she is totally invested in John Silver's character arc. Pavo and Priscilla, both literal gods, made their victory among the faithful assured in her mind, anyway. "Absolutely not, John Silver. When you are greyed and austere, you will be positively surrounded by friends, or all the plunder and capers will have been for nothing. The point of life is to live it with others." She insists. Zero moves from holding hands to rubbing her back, and Naval Yuuki is all too happy to fall into Strong Hands and stop fretting and worrying and squinting and putting on a brave face. Her exhalation is parched-dry, but she doesn't seem otherwise ill-off. In fact she has a lot of color! The normally pale tones of her skin seem healthily darkened with a bit of sun exposure. She doesn't steam in the sun, because that would be unsightly, but having her 'whole self' primarily out in the bright ocean sun and sea breeze was still quite taxing on her energy levels. "You're doing so well, too... I should have napped at home and not on the island. Stupid... But I liked it, anyway. I had so much to stay up for."
Captain Flint	THE WALRUS                                        "Ah, yes. The genie," says Silver laughingly. "Fine, if you must know... yes, I've warmed up to the idea of friends, and so *if* I had your magic ring, I should want to live the rest of my days free from wages, or war, or power struggles, with my friends close by and possessed of that same freedom."
Cantio	Success! Breathing a sigh of relief, Cantio finds her own passage to the Ondrites' ship through a combination of transformation, flight, and keeping that cloak on to not scare or confuse the rougher-looking people of this world more than she needs to. The music continues coming from the spout as her repurposed fountain machine remains beneath the waves, and Cantio herself keeps the hood on over her head just to keep some of her appearance hidden. It's not hidden enough to not be overwhelmingly obvious that she's incredibly pink and white, though. The rest of her transformed appearance between the plastic-y clothing and unnaturally shaped pupils would be incredibly outlandish even by more modern standards, too!  With Guzma taking the lead in the initial discussion, however, Cantio gets an idea! Instead of speaking herself, Cantio moves over to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Without a word, she gestures at the spout before turning towards it, staring right at it while relaying her commands to the drone remotely. As she does so, she notices the wind growing around the Anne and the Walrus, and her mind races through how she can work Priscilla's manipulation of the water and wind to their advantage further. She cranks that gentle tone up further, never making it unreasonably or painful to hear, but simply impossible to ignore. She's content to play the part of the quiet gesturing type this time around, especially because trying to speak to any of these people is actually kind of terrifying. She'd rather not screw this up for everyone else opening her mouth.
Starbound Flotilla	"Pal," George says. "If the enemies you plan on making are the kinda enemies who you fight when you're fightin' monarchs you don't like, I'm pretty much gonna back anything that fucks with 'em." The cheerful shrug is carefully calculated to look like George simply doesn't know what he's doing, in a broad sense. "I dunno much about politics, but I'm always down to slit some kingsmen. And I know you got a list of names, which means I'm gonna give you my backing. Besides, old-timers like us gotta stick together, yeah?"     And things are working out. "You want it constructed in a month? Pal, I'll get it constructed in two weeks. One for my pals to get back to shore, one for them to get you the best damn school around. You saw what kinda building we can do, I think we can get that done for ya."
Yuuki Kuran	Closed-eye Nassau Yuuki rises from the side of the wall she had leaned on, bows, and slides on a large pair of sunglasses. "Of course you can keep your special chair, Benjamin. From what other throne would you hold court?" She asks, that daydreamy 'well past tired into exhausted into Awake (False)' tone having set in. "I build my caring family out of spectacular people who I can love confidently." Yuuki takes a moment of intervening frames to sidestep and wrap her arms around George in a hug that she drags Gladion into. "It means I can always trust everyone to have our best interest at heart, and it makes it so easy to live that I tire myself out with all the living I do. Let's slice kingsmen and grow, together."
Zero Kiryu	"No. Yuuki and I don't share. We've gotten too territorial. I don't think we'd be able to resist acting out." Zero Kiryu's voice emanates from a twist of plant matter on Nassau Yuuki, directed at Captain Hornigold. It's not a threatening voice; it's very matter-of-fact, actually. Like he was talking about buying milk and eggs down at the corner store. 'No, we'd actually just murder anybody who got too handsy.' A loose melancholy overtake Zero back on the Walrus. He nods towards John Silver, but looks moderately puzzled. "Comfort without work, and yet you are at ease with mortality. How unusual. Thank you for answering honestly." He's not entirely certain that Silver did answer honestly, because he's not double-checking the thoughts behind the words. To Naval Yuuki, he says, "It's not stupid, even if it's not for me. Are you hungry?" The question is partially rhetorical. The answer is yes, and the actual question is whether she wants a drink.
Starbound Flotilla	Seft is the one who provides Priscilla the exact coordinates. Her sensor array is all brass and stone and strange lights, but it gets the job done: An incredibly, incredibly precise reading of valuable minerals in the area, with high precision and live updates. "Finding valuable rocks" is practically the exact, specific thing Flotilla-brand sensors are best at, in fact. If there's any way to get an exact position on that, the Flotilla are the ones to ask.     And something tribal? Perhaps in carved wood? Definitely, absolutely. It seems Biteblade is all too eager to do it, and only a little disappointed at the small amount of bone and teeth involved in the crafts she's asked to make. Are you *sure* you don't want lots more bone? *Positive?*     Pavo, for her part, accompanies Priscilla. Her flight-pack projects its huge, elegant feathered wings, all translucent gold as she approaches. Her mesoamerican-style gleaming armor shines and shimmers. "DEVOTION!" She calls out. "Haven't heard devotion like this in a long while. Prayers for wealth, and good food, and a good harvest. For some peace of mind, and some fresh starts. You're some pious kinds, aren't ya!" Pavo leverages the fact that everyone in a religiously-driven environment is always going to claim they're the ones Praying Right. "Some humble feelings, maybe, but that's fine! That's all okay! Because gods reward the piety and humility! Really, you didn't have to go *that* far. Well, good thing you did anyway!"     Her arms splay wide, and her own wide circular halo forms. Golden feathers begin to descend. "Because I've got the blessings you want! Food and water, more time, less pain, life and death! A harvest of plenty and the means to defend it, a proper upgrade and replacement for that ol' stone!" Her drones fan out to the ships, offering their bounty not to any one captain, but to *everyone*. Their automated systems prompt the users to offer their blood to authenticate blessings, binding a contract of freely-provided divine assistance as an upgrade from the meager singular blessing they depended on before. Really, she knows this sell won't get through all of them -- but by immediately making the offers to individuals on a wider basis, it's going to be hard to not get agreements from a lot of them.
Captain Flint	ONDRA'S GRASP      At first, Guzma's words are met with a little suspicion--a slight narrowing of Hafmacg's eyes, at 'meaning no harm.' But the tone grows louder, and with no obvious signs of where it could be coming from, there's no other conclusion for a man of faith to draw but that he's being told to Be Quiet while the Adults are talking.      "What the sea reclaims, it sometimes leaves on the shore for new hands to find," says the abbot with a nod, as gifts of Hylotl seashells find their way aboard. They are gathered with reverence, sprinkled with holy water, and brought belowdecks where they may be properly given to the sea later.      "We'll listen to what your Concord has to say, and suggest the Blessing and the Eye listen, too."
Captain Flint	On board the Walrus and the Anne, Silver and Flint can be heard barking similar orders: "Furl the topsails, t'gallants! No near! Ease! Helm to port!" One shortly after the other, forgetting it's now a thing: "Draw up the oars!"      The two Concord ships pull in, the Anne closest, bringing their port sides alongside the starboard side of the EYE OF OLUKUN. The giant serpent, and the shower of gifts seemingly bearing the Owner of Oceans' personal signs do much to allow these ships a peaceful approach.      "Mr. Kiryu," says Flint over the radio, "I remain impressed at the scope of your creativity." The Eye has dropped anchor.
Captain Flint	Each ship has a different visual identity; the Dyrwoodan sloop looks like a slimmer, lower version of the kind the Anne and the Walrus are. The Eye of Olokun has a interesting pronged kind of bow and stern, with the sails set at a 45 degree angle to the ship, being much wider proportionally than those of the others. Sirsir's Blessing, meanwhile, looks (for those with the context for such things) like it might have sailed from the pages of humanity's antiquity, with a squat, square cabin atop it, and a bow and stern which rise high above the deck, making the hull loosely resemble the shape of a banana. SIRSIR'S BLESSING      ...as it so happens, is the ship which houses the Stone of Storms. It is the epicenter of Priscilla's freezing gale, which soon encompasses all five ships and prevents any of them from leaving. The men who had taken to their rest for the night are roused quickly, and soon the night air is fraught with cries of wonderment and alarm. They furl their sails, and the other two ships follow suit quickly, both for the danger the ice presents, and for the wide range of gifts showered upon them as if by providence.      The crew of the Blessing receive the First with bent knee, for someone with such an unearthly appearance, cloaked in moonlight who commands the seas themselves to be calm, must surely be an emissary of Sirsir.      But it's Pavo who speaks up first, laying blessings upon her crew. "We're honored to receive emissaries of the gods," says she among them who is named captain. She still hasn't stood up. "I am Beltis. The Grasp and the Eye's captains tell me their gods favor them, also. Let us receive you properly, for we want not to be seen as ungrateful of your presence."
Starbound Flotilla	"'Course you are!" Pavo says. "Why would you spend all that time earning honors if honor never came to you? Let's get you mortals blessed good and proper! Show me what you need to show me, and don't mind the blood-taking, just part of making sure we've got it all figured properly." She sounds so *cheerful* in her element. Doling out blessings is where she's supposed to be -- at least halfway. The other half is smiting, but that's not the business of the hour.     "My superior is the one you'll do the most chattin' with. I just keep the blessings *managed*, you know." She says as she descends, bowing a little and splaying one hand out to present Priscilla and falls into formation, a smug, eager grin cracking her beak.