Zoya, fled from her husband and his overbearing family in Midgard. She wasn't sure where she could go to get away from them...to find freedom. She stopped in Am-Aroush and made passage from there to Agnfall. Stayed there for a few days until she could gain passage to Qorvi. Noone realized under her robes that she was a Tiefling, or that she was pregnant. The ship's passage to Qorvi was rocked by a freak storm, and Zoya went into labor. She gave birth alone in the cargo hold and come morning after the storm had passed, the captain and crew found her holding a swaddled minty green baby with teensy tiny horns on her head. They dropped her off unceremoniously on the shore near Qorvi. She'd heard about a small camp of refugees called Waterside Mul. They weren't your typical refugees..they were running from their lives not really for their lives. The midwife looked over the minty demon child and at Zoya in all her coverings and said in the most patiently helpful way,"Miss, you should name her."
Zoya looked around at the landscape and at her wee daughter and named her, "Rio."
They lived in Waterside Mul for 5 years before making the move to Qorvi. Zoya had one friend she trusted in Qorvi whom she stayed with for the next 5 years and on Rio's 10th birthday, she disappeared, leaving behind only a sword. Rio, while in Waterside Mul, would spend time at the sea splashing in the waves, petting crabs, befriending seagulls, making sandcastles,and telling jokes to fish.
She would have little dreams each night of a beautiful, smiling lady made of water who would teach her all sorts of things and talk with her. The night before Zoya moved them to Qorvi, the beautiful water lady gave her a small glass pendant and put it around her neck. She smiled at Rio, touched the pendant and Rio could see that some of the water she was made of poured into it.
When she woke up, she was wearing it and while in Qorvi, the dreams of The Wave Mother were few, but when they happened, She would pour out of the pendant. They would talk and talk and play in the waves together. After Zoya left, the Wave Mother would hold her in the water. Sometimes there were 3 of them. One was older, one was slightly younger and then the one she'd always seen, the youngest would be there. That is when Rio discovered the other oceans and the Sisters who guarded those waters. She learned how to defend herself from the Eldest, the sister of the North. She learned how to speak Goblin from the sister of the West and from the Sister of the East, her specific guardian and teacher, she learned how to speak to animals and how to create water and if absolutely necessary, destroy water.
As Rio grew up, she learned how to conceal herself when needed and how to keep a low profile. Sometimes there were beach vacations and Rio learned how to surf, and would speak with an old, old Tortle druid that lived nearby named Honu. He, too, was visited often by the Wave Mother and was a close friend and mentor until his death. He made a special offering to her after his death. The use of his shell as her shield.
Her Qorvashi guardian taught her how to use the blade that Zoya left behind. And to use it's light at night to send signals. This would become more useful each time they helped discriminated beings escape their abusers, enslavement, and worse.
Rio heard tales from the Wave Mother of druids to the west, of a group of people with a ship and a similar mission. Life floats on…
Rio, a young lady of 17 years, has discovered more about her people. Breadcrumbs here and there. Visions of other Yeshari and the things they’ve done. The way the people perceive them. She hides under her scarves and just tries to be helpful to those they smuggle out of Evermore proper. The refugees from the city after it’s destruction have made a home and life at their farm, Candleridge. So named for all the candles placed on the edges of the cliffs in memory of those lost. In order to make sense of the flood of people coming in, they were given room and board, medicine and purpose to help them through their loss. All too soon, the Shepherds left the farm with interesting people from Evermore..the voyage was filled with story telling and pieces of puzzles revealing themselves to everyone on the ship. The group learned much about themselves as they did each other
Before this trip, everyone usually just stuck to themselves..focusing on the mission at hand, on the safety of the precious cargo of people and goods.Extra information about everyone was on a need to know basis. Captain Miles was gruff most times, an unusual cleric, Vargas was not too outlandish of a bard, always keeping to himself, always thinking about his sister Shandri, Miri stuck to the shadows and was hardly seen, and Miss Mu was enthusiastic, ready to help or fight even gaining the title “Mu the Merciful”when she let an opponent in the arena live and even helped heal him.
Rio listened and observed everything she could. Her mother would sing songs in their language and tell some stories about their old homes..but by and large left everything a mystery. Rio had no knowledge of what her mother’s position was in life, or who her father was. She didn’t know if she had siblings or what it really meant to be a Yesharian in this world or any other. Everyone else had a place. A purpose. The ability to let the wind in their hair without gasps, recoilings, that fucking look. Rio stole moments for herself. Horns out...she felt them with her fingers and admired them in small mirrors, in water reflections in barrels on the ship. She liked the way her tail swished and would let it be unwrapped, unbound in her private quarters. Everyone knew what she was, but never said anything. Except Toshiro, her tall Qorvashi guardian. He would lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder and speak his words of kindness which meant the world since he spoke so few.
Rio balanced these feelings out by spending time in nature. Jokies with the fish and pancakes for the crew (also shared with the fish). Everyday had some miraculous adventure that she took to with wide open arms and wide eyed wonder! That time she flew on a red dragon, jumped off and free fell to end up landing a kite all by herself, her visit with the Stone Mother helped her sense of purpose and gave her a stronger foothold to maintain her spirit.
Rio watched without judgement, her hands on the vines of a Colossus, the ancient Yeshari masters forcing the Drow slaves to build the Colossi..their energy, their blood still flowing through these giant structures. Their spirits trapped in servitude. It embarrassed her..that even her mother tongue was unnerving to a whole race of people. That by speaking it infront of her crewmate, it caused her pain.
The resolve to show that she wasn’t like them was palpable. Through the tenets of the Wave Mother, the idea to flow freely with the currents kept her balanced. Casual.
Walking towards The Libertalia to start their journey, there is something flying in the sky. Something HUGE. A one-eyed bird monster turns into two. Toshi stands in front of Rio as this thing approaches..and a mirrored image of it comes towards Rio on the other side. It’s mouth opens and she takes her scarf down. Unsure of what will happen.. Likely death. At the sight of her in full view it falls apart..a powerful illusion that could not attack or show more of them. They later found out it was some sort of scrying monster. Yeshari cannot spy on other Yeshari? But who is trying to spy on them and why? They had an idea why and maybe an idea of who. From now on, she would try and get comfortable with being headscarf free. It felt weird and she felt ashamed sometimes.
She refocused on their adventures, on the people they were meeting and the lands they were visiting.The shieldbreakers were immense and she made friends with one of them, giving him a bracelet with shells on it to match one she made for herself. Krauk almost stayed with them but Rio told him the choice was up to him and he stayed on with his friends. She looks at her bracelet and wonders about his journey.
Rio learns she isn’t the scariest thing in the world. The Great Devourer surpasses any of that. The followers of Dirk, their manic self-flagellation and mutilation, the sheer numbers of them crowding the streets trampling all in their frenzied path. The plague they carry touching the crew and the Drow they were sent to rescue. The Shepherds coming up with names for it, The Dirk Scourge, The Dirty Dirks, or just The Dirks. Every attempt by the Cleric to heal it and identify it making it worse. Accelerating it. We found Vargas’ sister and were all too happy to bring her aboard not realizing she had the Dirks. The attempt to heal her, accelerating it..the chaos that ensued and her death. On her deathbed, Shandri asked Toshi to find her in the Astral Plane. Toshi vowed to her that he would.
We said our prayers under that green aurora and interred her into Mother Ocean. It all happened so fast and now our Captain has it. Toshi and Vargas needed to find the Astral Plane..and the rest of us approached the Drow now referred to as The Liberated, and we approached them carefully. Asking questions about where they wanted to go, and if they knew anything about this disease. We knew it was the Eastern Plague and continued to call it the Dirks, and the Dirty Dirks hoping it would dissuade anyone else from falling in with that religious mess.
The Liberated Drow had some semblance of an idea. Something about a flower and its nectar?? The Liberated were hiding two children among them that were very special. These two babies enslaved and abused for so long. The little girl under the protection of her brother. His defensive, protective, snarling vibe balanced by her outgoing, extroverted, trusting personality. One needed the other and the world needs them both. Rio loved them! Especially the brother. He was so angry, so dark. He needed all the hugs in the world and she waited for the right time to bring that up. In the meantime, his dagger was pointed at her and she raised her hands. His sister peeking out behind him.
Speaking in Druidic, Rio simply asked if they understood. The little girl’s eyes brightened and she answered, “Yes!” Then she spoke to her brother, “See, I told you they are okay! My name is Malìýä” The boy, whose name is Belön, did not relax completely. Rio took down her headscarf and ruffled her hair, letting herself be open to them.
Little by little Miri and Rio spoke with them. The Liberated want to go to Agnfall. Make way for Agnfall! Oh, but wait..there’s a mean priestess there. And it seemed unsafe going in the direction of destruction? Take them to Fanghorn! Changing courses so often.
The twins showed Rio what powers they had. Belön takes life, Malìýä returns it. Rio asks why they’re able to heal and not get the coughcoughs. The brother gets defensive again as if we want to use them. Miri helps interpret the situation..the peace is tenuous at best and Captain Miles yells,”BOY! WAIT A MINUTE! COME HERE! What’s your name boy?”
He then asks Belön if he speaks common or goblin. Rio speaks to them in Yeshari,”Your anger isn’t misplaced with that question.” Maly senses the sickness in Miles and tells the brother what she feels. In broken common he says, “No! YOU! No have!” We understand that they think we’re slavers and are trying to take Maly. Captain Miles noticing how protective Miri and Rio are of the twins, how interested in keeping the peace and understanding them says,”You guys seem very interested in these two. What if we offer them jobs as crew and money upfront. No strings or long-term commitment?”
Rio is so confused by this. “They are more important than that. They have work to do for this earth.” Belön has his dagger out at Miles. “You! No have!!”
Miles says,”A job is a start. They can see what we are like. Earn some skills and coin. Freedom isn’t cheap.”
Everything begins to devolve into offering the Liberated jobs and the little girl is trying to communicate through Miri and one of the Liberated comes up to speak. He asks Belön to lift his tunic to show his extensive scars. To explain the two are touched by the World Tree.
After a long time trying to explain we don’t want to enslave them or kill them, Rio offers up an explanation through Miriel that,”I was not born into a typical life of my kind. I don't yet understand all of the ways I can be unnerving or offensive. I am learning and will stumble. My friends and I..”,she looks to Miles,”.. have been close to this disease and have tried curing it only to make it worse. We want to learn all we can about it to keep it from ravaging us and the world. We also want to help you escape danger. And we have questions about astral travel and the tree. Being pulled in many directions will lead to toes being stepped on.”
The twins want to attempt to heal Captain Miles, well, Maly does. With encouragement and prodding from his sister, Belön agrees to help heal Captain Miles. In the chaos, Maly falls and clutches her stomach crying and screaming in pain. The Captain having been led by Rio to trust the situation because he didn’t speak any of the languages they spoke, scolded Rio and sent her to the upper deck for a talk.
Rio goes up the stairs to the upper deck and looks out at the sea. Hoping Maly is safe, mostly because she was so sweet and her healing was so powerful. The world needs her little light. Honestly, Belön..if anything happened to her, he would be dangerous. Incredibly dangerous. What a heavy situation. Rio prays to the Wave Mother for all onboard. A wind picks up with calm waters, and a water weird swims ahead of the boat. The current returns to normal, the water weird subsides and a sprite appears, flies towards Rio and kisses her forehead. Rio whispers a thank you and throws a pancake in the sea...Miles comes up shortly after and says, “I should toss you in with that pancake.” He chides Rio for putting the whole ship in danger and Rio sasses him like the teenager she is. How could he not see that it was the girl’s choice to try and heal him?
He makes a rule. No magic on the ship. She was on Drow duty..making sure they were washed each night to keep the Dirks from spreading. Rio mentions that that seems more like a punishment for them .
Continuing to sail towards Fanghorn for some reason, the skies get stormy over the capital. The waves cresting high, the second ship in their convoy being tossed like a ragdoll. The lightning shedding it’s faint glow on sea creatures beneath the waves swimming away from the capital. Some of the fish trying to jump out of the way float in the air ..the sight of tentacles in the clouds around them.
Panic is amped as the crew tries to control the ship and keep it from breaking. Rio offers a prayer thinking it was the great devourer rising, unsure of what exactly is going on. She clutches onto Mu’s arm, the waves coming over the side of the ship..she yells out for Toshiro. The Kraken’s gigantic eye locked on her. The water circling around and under the boat.
Evidence of the second ship broken and sinking in the water..the passengers all lost. Captain Miles shouts to the crew,”Snuff all the lights! Go dark! Arm yourselves!”
Rio laughs,”Arm Yourselves! So many arms! You made a fish joke!”
Malìýä, who had been in bed all this time leaves her sleeping brother to come on deck. A calming peace comes to the whole ship..she prays,”Blessings be the daylight in this moment of darkness, goddess of life..." The Kraken cradles the Libertalia safely ..and pushes us to the southeast. A water sprite is seen on top of the Kraken..eating a pancake..the little bits of the pancake visible in its stomach. She waves to Rio and Rio waves back. The scars on Captain Miles heal and fade, the Dirks leave him and he is healthy once more.
Rio pats him on the back and says,”Maybe it was your joke? You can’t always be so sea-rious!” He asks if she has command of the noodly one and she shrugs. “Maybe? I think it was just a big favor. I command no one.”
Several changes of course later, a visit to the Astral Plane and contact with the Coven, the Shepherds find themselves at the Port of Goodwill (in thanks to the Kraken we’ve named Noodles who took Rio’s directional change in stride). There was some discussion about who would go to the tree, and would the Liberated Drow stay onboard The Libertalia or be escorted to Agnfall. Toshiro, Rio, and Vargas were definitely taking the twins to the Tree but would the rest of the Shepherds come as well? Would they meet up with them later? The Liberated will go on to Agnfall with first mate GG and the Shepherds will get the children to the Tree. Time is of the essence.
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