City of IF

[Lebrenth]

Aboard the Crux Austrinus

Thomas Newark sits by the edge of the ship, oiling his long-barreled rifle and occasionally looking across the two fields of blue, the sea and the sky. It’s been two days since anything interrupted the solid blue colors, though the captain says they should reach Gadiri Island before sunset.

Jim Cost, perched in the crow’s nest, breathes the wind and smiles as he sways at the top of the tallest mast. The island is not yet in sight, but he’s not in as much of a hurry as the others. It’s been a while since he’s been back out on the sea. His back against the mast feels a shiver followed by more in quick succession. Jim peers down to see Ross Miskin with his hands wrapped in tight cord punching the mast like it was his worst enemy. The cords are already stained dark red from constant training.

Lawrence Kedwell wanders the deck tapping everyone’s shoulders except Ross’s and asking if they have anything extra to eat. The sailors have stopped paying attention to him for a while now, but he doesn’t give up. Chia Cutie poses at the bow of the ship in a flowing white dress with the wind flicking her long straight hair.

“Chia, do have anything I to eat? Promise to pay you back.”

Chia turns her head gracefully with a small grin. “Do you ever stop eating?”

“Breakfast wasn’t very satisfying… I think they’re watering down the soup. Anyway, you have extra don’t you?”

“Sure!” She takes him by the hand and runs to the cabin at the stern.

“No hurry, lass! I’m not that hungry!”

“Come on!”

In the cabin storage chest is rocking on the floor as she unlocks it.

“You haven’t got a dog in there, do you? I don’t eat dog… on Sundays.”

Chia laughs and opens the chest.

“Oh… I wondered where Jennifer got to.”

“I still have 20 minutes!” Jennifer Stoaks protests in a cocoon of rope.

“I know, I know, I just wanted to get something.”

“Well hurry! The light’s giving me an unfair advantage.”

“Could you sit up a little?” Chia asks. Jennifer tosses her wavy red hair back out of her face and worms her way into a sitting position. Chia pulls out gingersnaps and hands them to Lawrence. “Here you go… sorry they’re a little smashed. And make sure you drink LOTS of water!” she says, tossing him one of her many waterskins.

“You’re such a nice person,” Lawrence says sweetly.

“I know,” Chia says with a bright smile. “I want that back clean!”

“Of course! Cheers Jenny.”

“Just go away.”

“Sorry about that,” Chia says to Jennifer. “I’ll give you an extra five minutes.”

“You think I need more time?!”

“I guess not; you’re doing great! Good luck!”

“I don’t need lu--” Jennifer’s words are cut off by the thump of the chest shutting and Chia hums to herself as she locks it and goes back out onto the deck.

The other four adventures are locked in the brig with nothing to entertain them other than a piece of string and a little ball of clay that’s starting to get crumbly. Their expedition started with a light fever and the captain hasn’t let them out since.

“Land ho!” Jim Cost calls out, seeing the tip of Akala, the larger of the two volcanoes on the island. Jennifer unlocks the chest from the inside and joins the others on deck waiting to see what Jim sees from the crow’s nest.

“Oh hey, good job!” Chia says.

“You ready to pay up?” Jennifer says with a smirk.

“You bet! Hey everybody! Jennifer Stocks is the best escape artist in the world!”

“Stoaks, not Stocks!”

“That’s the fifth time since we got on board, isn’t it?” Lawrence says.

“The fifth time that you know about,” Jennifer says smugly.

“Getting out of bed doesn’t count, Jen,” Thomas Newark teases, looking down from his telescope.

“Don’t make me throw you overboard in Chia’s trunk, Tom!”

“There it is,” Thomas says.

“Let me see!” Chia chirps. Thomas lends her the telescope and she scans the horizon, bumping into Lawrence’s ear in the process.

“Hey now!”

“No, it’s right over there,” Thomas says, guiding the lens with his hand.

“… What? The little bump?”

“That’s it.”

“You sure? It just looks like a bump to me… maybe it’s a whale!”

“Nope, it’s an island, now give it back please.”

“Hey I want to see!” Lawrence says. Thomas smiles and shakes his head. He collapses it and puts it in his pack.

“Don’t worry about it, Larry. It’s just a bump,” Chia says.

“It will get bigger,” Thomas says and goes back to his seat on the starboard side. Ross continues training, doing laps around the ship and pulling himself up the ropes with arms only and other painful things. Jennifer, Chia, and Lawrence join for a game of catch with Chia’s extra water bladder, and the rest of the crew takes it easy sailing south.

*****************************************************

Like water on a foam dinosaur in a capsule, the island slowly grows. Though only a small dot on the face of the planet, its dimensions dominate the expeditionists’ horizon.

“You were right, Tom,” Lawrence says. “It’s a lot bigger than I expected. I thought it was going to be a grass hut and a few coconut trees.”

“I’ve been told it’s about 28 miles across and 17 miles north to south,” Tom says. “But there’s a few things missing that’s on the map…. Where’s the lake and the giant red eyes?” Tom peers into the thick jungle, but does not see either. However, with the birds constantly scattering and trees shaking it’s clear something is there. Perhaps if the light were stronger, but the sun turns orange and slowly slips into the ocean. “Captain! When do we go ashore?”

The captain stops scratching his wide chin and fervently scratches his head before deciding to answer:

“We’ll round her on the east and drop anchor. We’ll have you in Gadiri Harbor on the morn.”

“Couldn’t we land now?” Thomas asks.

“I wouldn’t be in a hurry, if I was you.”

“No hurry, just wondering.”

“Wait for day, son. You’ll be glad for it.”

*****************************************************

Rounding the east side of the island is peaceful, but looking into the jungle of the island is mystifying and when they stare too long, they’re immersed in a hopeless feeling of being lost and find themselves trembling. And then shadows block the stars swirling in the sky and sending piercing shrieks everywhere.

“What is that?” Chia asks.

“Gadiri Rocs,” the captain says as though referring to something as common as a cow.

“I hate that sound!”

“You’d best get used to it. They’re out every night.”

“Are we in danger?” Thomas asks, his rifle closely gripped.

“Not in groups. They don’t attack large numbers, but they’ll sweep a man off his feet if he’s alone. Mister Cost! Come down from there!”

Jim Cost descends, having nothing to see at night anyway. Ear plugs are quickly improvised from cotton and candle wax, and the group sleeps soundly. Coming around the southeast corner of the island, a large lava field glows red in the night and sluggishly laps over the edge of the island into the sea, where steam billows into the air. In such a way, the island is slowly getting larger. The smaller volcano is called Noburu. It’s gaping maw smolders and glows, drooling magma from its lip. A more welcoming sight is the bright fire of the lighthouse on the southwest corner. The ship enters the calm waters of the cove and plunges its anchor into the deep.

*****************************************************

Early in the morning, the Crux Austrinus drifts into Gadiri Harbor, entering the shell of an enormous lava dome that solidified and hollowed out like a geode. A sailor leans against the railing and speaks lowly, more to himself, of the islanders’ legend that the volcanoes represent a family. Akala, the man, Noburu the woman, and the lava dome now called Gadiri Harbor, their child who died before even getting a name. The lake of lava is said to be the father’s blood and the slow trickle of Noburu, the mother’s tears.

Sailors taxi the ship in with row boats and ropes, then dock it and tie down.

“Our services have come to an end,” the captain says with a bow and his hat across his chest. “May you find what you’re looking for.”

The adventurers finally step onto Gadiri.

“It feels like everything’s still rocking!” Chia says. Her chest is placed on the dock and the sailors gather around.

“Go on, have fun!” the captain says to them, and they scatter with a cheer. A man in priestly attire approaches.

“I’m Edwin Charles… may I inquire which of you is Jim Cost?”

“That’s me.”

“I hope you received my letter?”

“I did, and we’re happy to accept your hospitality.”

“Pardon me, but who is this?” Thomas says, with quick assent from the others.

“He’s with me,” Jim says cheerfully. Edwin nods humbly.

“Why didn’t you mention him to us?”

“… What? I didn’t offer him a share.”

“If you please, sir,” Edwin says. “I only wish to serve the lord and his children. I have no desire for money.”

“Oh… all right then.”

“If you’ll follow me please?” Edwin says.

“Would someone please carry my treasure chest?” Chia asks with doe eyes, and quickly gets volunteers to take it.

Edwin takes the crew through the fascinating cave harbor, up on stairs cut into a crack in the dome. The Harbor city is thinly spread out amongst the tropical trees. Most of the buildings are combinations of piled up volcanic rock and reddish wood, but there are a good number of lean-tos and huts made from palm trees or bamboo. The population is half dark skinned descendants of the old islanders and the other half a mixture of everything. There is one large brick building that stands out distinctly.

“Gadiri Harbor has all your basic needs,” Edwin says. “The large building over there is the Trading House, where you’ll find anything the island has to trade. There is the tavern, ‘The Blue Swashbuckler’ where you’ll find other treasure hunters and mercenaries, I should warn you that most of them won’t want to talk, but there is an old islander there who has been known to sell secrets for 5 Fables.”

“Is everyone going to try to milk us dry?” Ross asks.

“In a word, yes. You can also find sailors willing to sail you around the island for 20 Fables. And farther north, you find farmers who will sell you livestock. They’ve been selling donkeys for 30 Fables, for instance.

“And this,” he says after a distance into the outskirts, “is the church.”

The moldy walls smell and the roof has many missing shingles. The bell, it seems, has been the target of bored treasure hunters with guns, and has many dents and a large crack. Additionally, the church is small. The tiny congregation hall is the entire building, with a cot in the corner for Edwin himself.

“I know it’s not much, but you may stay here whenever you like.”

“All right boys, you can set it down now,” Chia says, who for the last 15 minutes has been sitting on top of the chest while the others carried it.

“Thank you Father,” Thomas says, pretending he can’t smell. “Let’s all go outside and talk.”

The adventures look at each other now like strangers meeting for the first time. They’re really on the island now… and it’s time to make a decision. A small path behind the church leads up to a hill out of the trees. The leaves shine in the morning sun and sway with a cooling breeze. Noburu looks awfully close… if she got angry, it’s hard to believe Gadiri Harbor would have much of a chance.

“Well, there’s only one way to begin this expedition,” Thomas says, “Together. So let’s put it to a vote and decide right now where we’re going to start.”

[Chinaren]

Good start Lebs. er, could you put the map at the top of this thread though, makes for easier access.

Right, I say that we, in traditional scooby doo style, split up and question the villagers first, find out what they know.

Oh, and I think I may hire a manservant.

~Goes off to Market~

[Lebrenth]

chinaren wrote: Good start Lebs. er, could you put the map at the top of this thread though, makes for easier access.



Is there a way to resize images? The map stretches the thread and makes everything difficult to read. I might have to go back and resize in photoshop and save it over again.... In the meantime you'll just have to click the compass.

[D-Lotus]

The introduction. Well, there's not enough content to determine anything yet. We shall see. (The only thing I'll quip about is the joke of the eyes on the map. I can't say it was very good.)

DP:

I'm inclined to buy a donkey, but I don't think they'd be much use in the jungle, in case we go there. Better to seek out a native to guide us. Maybe we should go to the tavern to find out information- or, like china said, spread out everywhere.

[Chinaren]

A donkey could be useful. It can carry things (I hope you are considering encumbarence Lebby) and if we run short on supplies we can use it for food. :D

[Kalanna Rai]

I personally want to go down to the docks and look for the old man selling secrets...maybe I can trick him into revealing something. Also call me Fir people...or Jenn...or Stokesy.