westwhere | the concord

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the concord

THE CONCORD

The vessel Concord of the Dawn’s Reach Trade Company once more appears in the horizon. She has learned her lesson from the previous scuffle and the minor charring her sails took at the hands of Sumeragi Subaru: she remains at a cautious distance from the pirate ships. Quicksilver Sam concludes the Concord’s reticence is unlikely to persist long term and asks a delegation of characters to deliver two gifts to captain Maximilian Hawk, in hopes of deterring further aggressions.

He entrusts the peace-bearing party with two items: an especially small scroll, rolled to the length and width of a thumb, and a modest, worn and a heavily locked wooden box to the size of a man’s palm. The scroll, if unravelled, only shows, 39.42116 N. The box cannot be opened, but weighs very little.

✘ OBJECTIVE: deliver the gift to Maximilian Hawk and retrieve his answer.

■ Travel by rowboats to the Concord, bearing large white flags. The Concord will not attack the incomers, but beware hungering, long-clawed mermaids and sharks within the Crossing seas.

■ Once within reach of the Concord, characters are welcomed by a small armed escort that insists all weapons must remain on the rowboats. They check that this instruction has been carried out. Those who refuse to give up their weapons are not allowed on the Concord.

■ The Concord is large, magnificently well attended, clean and armed with the most modern cannons and navigational instruments. The crew comprises trained sailors and graduates of a navy school — the Dawn’s Reach Trade Company’s own academy. Deck patrols and sails and cannon inspections are diligently undertaken every few hours.

■ You reach the Concord by noon. Marcos Diaz is received by first mate John Lattimore for an initial parlay (please wait for NPC thread). Lattimore introduces the newcomers as refugees from the Pariah to the crew.

■ Captain Maximilian Hawk is in deep strategic congress with his employers at the Dawn’s Reach Trade Company until evening. During this time, you remain under escort but can chat with sailors, enjoy a canteen meal, or take a tour of the ship’s deck. Characters also have supervised access to a guest cabin, the captain’s library or the medical bay, as needed. Use your time wisely to learn the lay of the land.

■ Noteworthy on deck: two sailors laundering uniforms and restitching membrane-thin diving suits that allow breathing underwater for two hours; a brawl that leads to four disgruntled men being taken down for jailing in the brig; several sailors carrying or taking tally of small boxes containing delicate, thin white powders (if they are inspected: opiates); two sailors drawing up a perfectly serviceable small steampunk boat to repair its rudimentary engine. Note: no further information or clues are forthcoming on any of these items — they exist as props for your getaway.

■ Come evening, Jim Kirk is finally received to present Maximilian Hawk with Quicksilver Sam’s gifts. (NPC thread link forthcoming!).

■ Discretion seems to have lost some value as everyone waits out the outcome of Jim’s talk in the captain’s cabin. It appears lips have loosened, and the crew has learned that the newcomers aren’t refugees, but representatives of the pirate ships, when a sailor recognises one of them from the Concord's previous altercation at sea. Several sailors spark a brawl, flinging accusations and demanding retaliation for the injuries they sustained when the Concord was singed. They progress from verbal to physical blows, which their superiors try but ultimately fail to calm down.

■ Smooth talk your way into being allowed a clean exit, or better yet, SOS Jim and run. Grab any weapon or valuable you can find, and jump either on the boat you came in, or on the partially fixed steampunk tanker that’s been set at sea. Row and shield to bide Viktor time and cover, if he’s up for tackling the last of the boat's engine repairs.

■ Beware cannons! And head back to the Pariah and Queen Zanyra, you delinquents. Marcos and Jim Kirk can share any learnings.

QUESTIONS

PLOTTING

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Jim wasn't exactly expecting good news, at least, so what comes isn't much of a shock, to him. At least, it allows him to keep a straight face as Marcos tells him their terms, offering only a small nod like he's considering it.

"We're not giving them Vane," he states plainly. It goes against everything he believes in, and it would mean getting involved in something he doesn't even know half the story of. But then, Marcos did say it was a problem, so he's guessing he too sees that there's a real problem with doing something like that. "Granted, we can't trust these pirates, but we can't trust the Company either. We don't know what kind of organization they are or what they're after." Could be they're both in the wrong here, but in that case they certainly shouldn't be siding with either, or working for either. "However, the Captain doesn't need to know we're unwilling to do that. This could be a good chance to get information, as well as safe passage back to the pirate ships."

Marcos can't say that he isn't relieved to hear Kirk immediately assert that he's against handing over Vane, and it's visible in how he releases some of the tension in his shoulders. Objectively, handing over one person to save the rest of them might seem justified, but it opens up an entire host of other issues. Saying they won't isn't an option either, the way Marcos set them up in his first effort to get information.

He nods and takes a heavy breath.

"That'll settle it in the short-term. Lattimore more or less guaranteed that they would let the rest of us go if we took that deal, and I think I could convince him that we'd be able to pull it off. He'll probably be passing it onto the Captain either way." He has the experience to lie his way through it, if that's what they want to do. Not that they have much of a choice. "I don't know how patient they'll be for us to pay up, but... if they turn on us, I'll take the blame. It was my fault for opening up that conversation."

He doesn't leave that up for debate. He's not letting the rest of them take the fall for his mistake, so he'll find a way to deal with it. Then comes the question of telling the rest of the group. If they find out and this goes badly, they can't plead ignorance. He's debating that when he continues with what else he found out.

"...They're businessmen. So far all I've gathered is that two years ago Vane entered some type of contract with them to find something. They funded his voyage but he didn't pay up. They don't seem to want to kill him, so he must still be valuable to them for some other reason." Something only Vane knows that makes it vital to have him. "I couldn't get him to tell me what he was searching for. Subaru mentioned a compass before we took off, but I don't know how that's related."

"Even if it's just to find a way to get out of here, we can't take that deal on our own," he shakes his head, hand resting over his mouth as he ponders. Who knows what kind of deal it would be— it could even be something magical, something Jim couldn't get out of later, and it could get them into some serious trouble.

"Honesty might be the best option, here. Let him know we're... refugees, of some sort, and explain there are more of us back on those ships. That he'd need to let us talk amongst ourselves and decide whether or not to take the deal."

There's a pause. "Which we do need to do. While I personally wouldn't take that deal, or at least wouldn't be alright with the handing over Vane part of it, I can't make that decision for the rest of us. It's something the whole group needs to know about."

Marcos nods, even if it's a lot more complicated than he's making it sound. Any choice they make will have repercussions. "I'm not disagreeing with you, but we have to consider what happens if we don't take that deal. We're going to end up in a fight either way. They need to be prepared."

He hates so many things about this. Whatever happens, he doesn't see a peaceful way out.

"Alright. I'll let him know, make us sound open." And hope the Captain is as patient as Lattimore seemed. "We can try to get more information. It might be our only chance to hear their side of things, but... I've got to tell you, I don't have a great feeling about all this."

Jim's just very good at making things sound simpler than they actually are. Makes it easier to deal with, at least in his personal perspective, though he never loses sight of all the ramifications related to any choice he makes. He knows all too well that in this instance, any good outcome is highly unlikely.

But it's not impossible. He once said he doesn't believe in no-win scenarios, and that remains true even now.

"Neither do I, but we're stuck here now, so we might as well see it through. And yes, try to get as much information as we can," he agrees. "Right now, I'm mainly hoping for that, and for a way back that won't end with us sinking to the bottom of the ocean."

Marcos winces slightly, but nods. As much as he'd like to say they've never burned down everything to the ground while they were trying to do the right thing, he's been through that before he even came here. He knows if they happen to talk themselves off the ship, they'll still have only bought some time before the Concord chases after them.

"That's the biggest issue. We're stranded out here without another ship, and I've got no clue how close we are to land." He glances back in the direction of the group and mentally weighs their odds. "You want to tell them, or wait until you talk to the captain?"

Jim's gaze follows Marcos's, a frown tainting his features as he thinks that question over for a few good seconds.

"Let me talk to the Captain first," he says finally. "We don't even know what the outcome of that talk might be, so let's see how that goes."

If Jim can't manage to talk his way out of the Captain's quarters without incident, then there will be no point in discussing an offer that he'd likely take off the table. They can talk about it after they've actually managed to get back to the pirate ships.

"The rest of you should look around for alternative means of escape in the meantime, just in case. Licyn and I have learned they have diving suits that allow them to breathe underwater for a couple of hours, and there's also some kind of steam-powered lifeboat. Lacking other options, we might need to resort to that if things go sideways."

It's all up in the air how this will end, but a lot of it seems dependent on how Kirk's meeting goes. Marcos can do his best to warm him up with the first mate and hope he doesn't do more harm than good. Lattimore isn't the type to give an inch if he doesn't see a benefit to their mission, so he can only assume the captain is the same.

"I hope we won't need to suits, but we'll do what we have to." If they end up swimming back... Lorna really will kill him for not taking her with him. He heaves a sigh and resigns himself to the plan. If anyone asks him how it went before Kirk gets back, he'll do his best not to get their hopes up.

"In that case, I'll give word to Lattimore. Maybe you'll get a warmer reception than I did." He tries to give him a reassuring smile, but he doesn't envy him. This whole situation is delicate, and they're only operating on threadbare information.

"I'll stay nearby if things go south. I can at least signal to the others." He lifts a hand to show a glowing palm. Just enough light to get the point across. Then he meets his gaze, looking sincerely sorry that he's in this situation with them. "Good luck with him."

"So do I, but it's best to have options." Jim would rather stay out of these waters too, especially with all the dangerous creatures down there. But if they end up getting shot at— well, like Marcos said. They'll do what they need to do.

His brow lifts at the small display, but now's not the time to ask about it, no matter how curious he is. So he just nods instead, offering a faint smile. "Believe it or not, it's not the worst situation I've found myself in." And that's saying a lot, really. "Thank you. I'll do my best to smooth things over with him, if nothing else."

Marcos pulls his powers back without further explanation, before anyone else notices the light. And so he can reserve his energy for the inevitable confrontation ahead. He can tell that Kirk is telling the truth about being in worse situations by how he handles himself, but that doesn't mean they aren't vastly outnumbered and vulnerable as long as they're on the Concord.

"Who knows, sometimes it's easier to deal with people who only care about profit. Maybe we'll get somewhere." That's more optimistic than he really is, but he's trying. Then he glances behind them again; Lattimore gave him an hour to talk it over, but he doesn't see himself coming up with a better plan by then.

"I better get back there. No reason to drag this out." He wants that meeting over quick, before he overpromises in attempt to seem open to a deal and screws things up for Kirk. He takes a breath and turns. "I'll see you after."

Jim would vastly prefer it if the others' safety weren't at risk along with his own, but well, they're here now, may as well see it through. At least Marcos seems to have some abilities to back up his skills in a fight, should it come down to that. Jim still hopes to talk their way out of this peacefully, but still.

Jim nods, giving Marcos a small pat in the arm. "Go on. We'll talk again later."

Provided they get the time before Jim has to see the Captain. If not, then best luck to them both.

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the concord

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