Session 1

Tonya

The instructions I received from the journeyman were cryptic, to say the least. Go to this exact location at this exact time. Go here, go there, walk backwards this many steps, turn in a circle three times here, skip to the left three times there. But, with every step, I could feel the warp of reality bending. Then, when I completed the last step in that set of instructions, I felt reality spin, and suddenly I was somewhere else, in a different realm. Somewhere dark and cold, smelling of metal. By a river of something that, if it was water, you definitely don’t want to drink or bathe in. This world was filled with all kinds of machines. All different shapes and sizes, with unknown functions. None of the machines bothered me. I followed my second set of instructions through and up the buildings. When I came to the window the instructions said to be at, I tucked both sets of instructions into a hidden inside pocket of my clothes. I memorized this building and the surrounding buildings, noted landmarks, and counted which floor I was on. If nothing else, I can retrace my path and get home by reversing the ritual steps.

My instructions said to talk to the people outside the window and tell them I could get them back to where there were plants. I know better than to question the oddness of those instructions. Prophecy is like that. There was an airship outside the window. There was a female feline maahaesi looking at some substance on the envelope of the airship. She had a sparkly animated rope with her, and appeared to be having a conversation with it. I decided it would be polite to address them both, to ingratiate myself with her. I greeted them, and said I had been sent to help them get back to where plants were. The rope arranged itself in a net and loops so I could climb from the window to the envelope, then wrapped itself around me and a cable, so I could climb down. I asked the female who was in charge, and she led me down to the deck. There was a female valtaeri and a male canine maahaesi. I greeted them warmly. None of them even blinked when I stated I was sent. No questions, didn’t care who I was sent by. I know the Truthsayers are an important order, but I didn’t think the order would garner that kind of immediate trust. Unless this group is so desperate they’ll take any help. That would explain why I was sent, if so. It does make it rather more difficult for me, if they’ve gotten themselves into desperate straits.

I again asked who was in charge, so I’d know where everyone’s place was. They didn’t seem to know. Deciding as a group goes against everything I was taught as a child, and made me decidedly uncomfortable. I suggested that the valtaeri was navigating the ship, so she was the captain, and she was probably in charge. This was immediately accepted by the rest, and reluctantly by the new captain. I felt better, anyway. They seem a nice enough bunch. Apparently I joined them during repairs after being chased by the forces of someone they had angered. Stealing the ship would do that. They were on the way to a portal to get back home. Promising. After some gentle prodding, I ascertained that the portal was surrounded by security that would be hostile. And that there was a sphere somewhere in the realm with little spheres that controlled the machines in the various areas. So if we destroy the little sphere that controls the area where the portal is, and fly really fast, we have a chance to get through the portal. My new canine friend was extremely enthusiastic when I mentioned that. An overly dramatic method, though. I’d rather find the person in charge of that area and convince them to let us out, or find someone I can convince to give us a pass through the security, but I’ll need more information.

In the meantime, I helped with repairs, and learned about airships. I’ve never seen one before. Fascinating things. Our captain is truly skilled at artificing and alchemy. She wanted to fix the camouflage system on the ship. She wanted to see if we could attract an octopus spirit to live in the system and help us. We started the ritual and invoked the spirit in our various ways. I sat and meditated on the fabric of time and reality. After a while, I felt the spirit. I spoke to the spirit, telling it about this wondrous ship that flew through the air instead of on the water, and how we had many enemies we needed to hide from. I praised the spirit for its excellent ability to misdirect its enemies, and begged it to aid us. It was intrigued. It listened to our captain talk enthusiastically about the system. It eventually agreed to come live in the system, but it wanted guns mounted on the hull that would squirt … something… into the air similar to the black ink an octopus would squirt in water to evade enemies. The captain eagerly got started crafting the system to make this work. The one that I first greeted is our healer, and she started planting in boxes along the railing. Fresh food would be welcome to them. My new canine friend bemoaned the lack of food in this realm. Apparently the only food is mushrooms. I’m sick of them already, and I haven’t had a meal yet. I fetched and carried and generally made myself helpful and useful. The occasional suggestion here and there, since I’m so helpful, and I’ll easily get the group moving where I want them to go. I have to not get distracted wanting to pet the giant flying squirrel, or the captain’s dragon.