Jammers: Turn 7, Chapter 7 Summary

The Ongoing adventures of my Spelljammer PBEM game.

Here's the Jammers web address:

http://jammers.s5.com/

Comments, questions always welcome:)

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

IC:

"Your protection honors us, General," Sekeht calls out to Masawa. "We
are in your debt."

Masawa continues glowering at the group, looking a touched confused.

To his shipmates, Sekeht says, "I'll go."

Italapate grins. "I'm eager to get off this damn boat. And someone
here needs a sense of humor," he nods and winks in the direction of
the "angry" Masawa.

"I'll go as well." Argonui says, "Just to observe, I'll leave the
negotiations to you folks."

Allagan stays aboard the ship, "I'll keep an eye on things here."

Billy nods, "I'll stay as well."

Talus says, "I'll stay too."

Ferric nods and says quietly, "Keep those hands ready to spark should
the need arise."

Allagan says, "I am but a simple vessel for my Father's Grace."
Allagan continues quietly to Ferric, "Watch out for our 'Chiefton',"
indicating Holland, "He's been unusually quiet."

Raken says "I'll go as well."

Holland moves first, carefully climbing down into the canoe, though
he doesn't speak a word.

Making sure his lyre is secure, Sekeht clambers over the side of the
galley and makes his way into the canoe, holding the sides of the
craft to steady himself.

Looking down at the canoes Ives booms out "I'll stay aboard what!
Don't want to put a foot through the bottom of those canoes."

Noting the water with some concern, Dhebun carefully climbs into the
canoe, his awkwardness evident, and shuffles uneasily to the back
muttering. "Mahl's whiskers, don't let us fall in."

Nilaroo clambers aboard one of the canoes, leaving his coat of chain
mail armor on the ship.

Raken cautiously climbs over the railing and onto a canoe. He seems
quite uncomfortable aboard such a tiny craft.

After the 'away team' has climbed down into the canoe it pulls away
and rows ashore, joined by the large double canoe Masawa stands upon.
The rest of the canoes remain behind, however, floating quietly while
the crews stare at the galley.

Staring right back Ives's ears stiffen straight up and turned
slightly  towards the men in the canoes. Ives stares at several
warriors in the canoes before he gives a sharp nod.

Moving to the speaking tube Ives says into the speaking tube in a low
voice "Oquid be ready to take it up at moments notice what!"

Turning to address the rest of the crew Ives booms out "Might as well
be putting our time to good use what! Any one bring fishing hooks?"

Allagan walks from side to side of the ship alternating between
looking out over the sides at the water and looking up into the air
for any signs of aggressors.

With his black boots glistening in the sun Ives tromps over to Talus
and in a lowered voice says "Talus could you or Billy be up in the
rigging keeping a lookout, wouldn't want the natives to catch us at
sixes and nines what!"

Down below deck Ives sticks his head into the helm room and waggles
his ears at Oquid "I say Oquid its getting rather hot and humid down
here what!  Need anything to drink or eat?"

"Some that tea Holland brewed this morning, and some bread?" Oquid
asks tentatively.

Vais, standing in the helmroom, says, "I hope those going ashore are cautious."

"Jolly good, I see about that. Can't have you getting groggy, if
these natives cause any trouble just go straight up and then we'll
have at them the catapult."

Ives quickly returns with the tea and bread for Oquid.

"Thank you." Oquid says with a grateful smile.

Grabbing a rind of cheese that had gone off Ives appears on deck and
puts together a rough fishing pole from a ten foot pole, a bit of
line and a bent nail.

Dropping it over the side Ives stares once more at the warriors in the canoes.

The warriors stare perhaps a bit more at the giant giff then at the
rest of the crew, but they continue floating quietly and watching.
They don't seem particularly tense, however.

---------------
['Away Team']

The two canoes beach and the party is lead into the village by Masawa
while a dozen or so of the warriors follow them. Children of the
village run up, stare, and giggle while staring at the group.

All of the villagers seem particularly interested in Nilaroo, staring
openly at the great ape. They don't laugh and point at him, however,
but rather seem a little afraid.

A path circles four roughly circular groups of huts made of wood and
roofed with interwoven palm leaves. The huts are about fifty feet
long and twenty feet wide and are raised ten feet off the ground on
wooden stilts. Each group of huts faces a central area which appears
to be a graveyard and the back of the hut is to the encircling path.
In the center of each graveyard is a large wooden statue. The closest
is a sea turtle, another is a shark, the third a giant lizard
creature, and the fourth looks to be a dragon or other winged lizard.
Between the circles of huts and the flatted toped hill in the center
the path surrounds gardens and the grounds for pigs, chickens. and
goats.

Raken takes in the whole village with wide eyes. He seems as
interested in the village as the villagers are in the party.  He
takes particular note of the statues.

In the center of the village is a flat topped hill that looks to have
been artificially leveled. In the center of the hill is a ten foot
tall truncated pyramid faced with stone. A large gong hangs on the
top of the pyramid, behind five large, carved wooden thrones.

Each of the five thrones is inhabited by a woman in colorful robes
and a feathery headdress. Surrounding them, sitting on the hillside
are men, women, and children of the tribe. About twenty or so
warriors as well.

The largest of the thrones holds a beautiful woman who looks to be in
her late thirties. Her hair is long and black, and her eyes are very,
very dark. She's wearing a rather revealing dark blue and gold robe.

Masawa walks up to the top of the pyramid, leaving the group at it's
base, and speaks for a few moments with the woman in the largest of
the thrones. After a moment he steps behind her throne, glowering
even deeper then before.

The woman stands and looks the group over slowly, sizing them up one
by one. After several long minutes she says, "I am Sanar, Mother of
Panitubi. These," she motions to the women in the other four thrones
(all of whom appear older then her), "are the Mothers of the Clans.
You wished to speak witb us. Here we are. You may speak." She smiles
then, and her face simply lights up with her obvious friendliness and
goodwill.

Holland steps forward and says with a smile, "I am Holland, Father of
the COSS.  We come from the stars seeking to replenish our food
supplies and to obtain directions to the City of the Gods so we may
look upon the Great Pearl."

Standing behind Holland, Sekeht whispers, "'We mean no harm to your
people or your lands.'"

Holland adds, "We mean no harm to you or your lands and we will not
be staying long."

Leera steps forward beside Holland. She addresses Sanar, "I am Leera
Lightbender. I am honored that you have met with us. Tell me, have
others like us come here before us? We must reach the City of the
Gods before them, as they are intent on despoiling it."

Sanar replies to Leera, "Others with a flying ship like yourselves
were here, six Rains ago. But none since that I know of. They too
sought the City of the Gods, but did not return. They did tell
wonderous stories. Join us this evening in a great feast, tell us
tales of the stars as they did, and we shall give you food and
water." She smiles, "And we can discuss in more fitting surroundings
then the route to the City of the Gods."

Holland bows his head in acceptance of Sanar's offer and says, "That
is very kind of you, we would be honored.  We all will join you this
evening."

Though she still has a friendly smile on her face Sanar ignores
Holland's statement and waits for Leera to reply.

Pate looks at Holland and laughs. He laughs almost hard enough to
weaken his knees and fall to the floor, but he manages to hold
himself up. He wipes a tear from his eyes and barely restrains
another outburst when he looks at Holland again.

Sanar looks at Pate as he laughs and her smile grows, she winks at
him, and then looks back to Leera again.

Leera glances over at Holland, and then, as she makes eye contact
with Sanar, shrugs slightly with a 'what can I do with him'
expression, and replies to Sanar. "We *would* be pleased and honored,
Sanar. We look forward to sharing a meal and good company with you
and your people."

Leera steps back and motions to the rest of the company. "We will
return this evening. Thank you again for your hospitality."

Raken approaches Sanar and asks "Sanar, Mother of Panitubi, may I ask
for your permission to record what I see in your village, so I may
share your culture with mine?  I am not a great artist, but it would
honor me greatly to show my people the beauty of your village."

Pate puts his hand on Raken's shoulder. "I think that we should let
Leera ask the Mother our questions.... you _were_ watching weren't
you?" He turns to scan the team sent from the ship. "Its like the
Land of the Squaws, here. Several of the clans that make up Kayanawa
Manitou are matriarchal as well."

"Nothing hurt for asking," Raken replies.

Pate shakes his head. "For now they are content to ignore men....
what if men continuing to talk to the Mother becomes something more
incendiary?"

Sanar smiles, and says to Italapate, "You are very courteous and
perceptive, and perhaps in older times your friend would have been
offered to the gods for such an affront." she smiles, "But we can
respect other cultures as well, and the custom is that Mothers speak
first in council, not that men may not speak at all. You may do you
drawings, I would like to see them. And tonight at the feast we may
talk, only in council most Mothers speak first."

As the 'official visit' breaks up Holland asks, "Masawa, I would
speak with you privately for a moment please."

Masawa glares at the mage, but seems to size him up as little threat.
"Talk." he grunts.

Holland asks, "Six rains ago, when the other ship came from the
stars," Holland watches Masawa's eyes, "Did it bring a sword that
talked like a man?"

Masawa nodded his scarred, scowling face. "Yes, bossy, noisy great
knife of steel. Some thought it came from the gods. But nothing so
annoying comes from gods."

Holland replies, "That noisy knife is of great evil. We have come to
destroy it.  Others, in another flying ship, are following us. They
want to use its evil to enslave others. We don't want that to happen."

Masawa grunts but otherwise doesn't respond.

To the rest of the Company, Leera says, "WE should return to the ship
now." She walks forward and then turns to wait for the rest to follow
her.

When they do, Leera leads them back to the ship. Again Nilaroo
arouses a great deal of interest among the villagers, and children
follow the group laughing and smiling. The village seems less tense
and worried after the meeting with the Mothers, in fact, it seems to
be taking on an air of festivity.

Date/Time: 3:25 pm, 6th day of the 11th Month, 5049 OC
--
"We sleep safely in our beds, only because rough men stand guard in
the night, ready to visit violence upon those who would do us harm."
H.G. Wells.

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State University
Instructor, Humanities, Columbus State Community College