Atom notices a few things immediately: -- This beach is not a bay. The draft will get shallow well before shore, and it curves away from the direct shoreline. -- This where the prevailing wind will dump you if you don't turn. -- There's a long ridge-line that is deceptively low on the horizon thanks to how small Esthere is. It's not hard to calculate that if there is a natural bay, it's on the other side of the island. -- More than that, the island is large enough to affect the weather; right up to the shoreline is plenty of vegetation, albeit used to the brackish water. As expected, at least here, fresh water's a concern. -- The ships have popped rivets consistent with a large impact; several of the items that they use to lift off the ground are strewn as debris. -- Wooden palisades have been set up around the landing point, as has an earthworks not far above the high-tide line. Notably, there's furrows in the sand leading up the beach that are slightly jagged. If this translated to further problems, Atom can't see them past the earthworks without risking flight.
As he tunes in with his hearing, it's difficult to make anything out over the break, at first; the waves are gentle, but not quiet. Then, over the sound of pounding waves and metal, comes:
"Who knows what the damned Corsairs did? All I know is, this island's cursed. We should get off of it soon as possible, so's I say."
"What, so they're uncorking Hell now? Somehow a massive storm's all part of the plan? Come off it."
"They have weather witches now, don't they...?"
There are distant reports of gunfire. The castle of the Arbalest turns and opens one shot, and it rips through the vegetation with an explosive shell. There's a creaking of metal as the superstructure settles back into place.
"Shit! Make our job harder, why don't you!?"
~ ~ ~
Rezo, as you focus in on people with high Ether affinity and capable Ether-users, you come across-- -- A priest in Divine Church uniform, nervously tending to the injured. He's tall, blond, with long hair and... Perhaps has lizardkin in his background? He's got vertical-pupiled eyes in the bright sun. "Here. May the Church preserve you." His affinity is Light. -- An imperial, rank-and-file, who is currently helping repair a bulkhead. She's not using magic now, and doesn't appear to be contemplating it. Someone with potential, maybe? Electric Affinity. -- A clearly Planetouched man with a Wind affinity, with faintly green skin and a blank expression, looks over stores and keeps inventory. "-- Quartermaster?" Natalia says, with maybe a little more hope than she feels. -- One of the Imperials, perhaps a lieutenant? He has black hair, and he's staring at a bandolier of small magical instruments and a book of Divine Church Law. He picks them up and is soon on his way. Someone skilled in magic, or has been on Esthere a long while, might recognize the tools of an exorcist-attorney's craft. Affinity is Dark. -- There's another priest, on detachment with Imperial Marines, exploring the jungle of the island; it looks like they're all quite spooked. Affinity Fire. -- A picture of ruby eyes in the darkness. something is on this island. That something is regarding you carefully. Affinity Dark. -- The voice of the Lord Captain Rezo's able to focus on here matches the one Natalia had picked up on the radio. He's... Very clearly some sort of noble; and is given to pacing and talking to himself when no one's around. "try to one-up me, will he...?" Affinity Water.
And-- lastly-- The harekin engineer from before, now on a wooden deck, talking with a man with brown hair and a familiar sort of scoped rifle, though this one is clearly carefully engraved, unlike Natalia's. Natalia pauses. "I'll confirm-- that's the Archer!"
"It's no good. Until we get out of this sand bar, I can't even hope to clear the screws."
"Mm. We'll have to move her at high tide, if we can..."
"What about the monsters?"
"That's my problem, not yours, Eowyn."
"You say that, but I'm the one powering the magicannon..."
~ ~ ~
"So. Overall," Natalia says. "The Archer has a new carpenter, and the captain's the same, as is the quartermaster. There's at least four Imperial magic users-- both chaplains, the Lord Captain of the Helmsplitter, and-- I didn't recognize those tools, did anyone else?"
As for the detachment in the jungle, she'll hum. "They definitely don't want to be here any longer than they have to."
"So. We have some advantages, and might be able to rescue the crews if asked, but... at least one Lord Captain is eager to prove himself, and the other might be trigger-happy. Though... That's just speculation on my part. I might be wrong."
no subject
-- This beach is not a bay. The draft will get shallow well before shore, and it curves away from the direct shoreline.
-- This where the prevailing wind will dump you if you don't turn.
-- There's a long ridge-line that is deceptively low on the horizon thanks to how small Esthere is. It's not hard to calculate that if there is a natural bay, it's on the other side of the island.
-- More than that, the island is large enough to affect the weather; right up to the shoreline is plenty of vegetation, albeit used to the brackish water. As expected, at least here, fresh water's a concern.
-- The ships have popped rivets consistent with a large impact; several of the items that they use to lift off the ground are strewn as debris.
-- Wooden palisades have been set up around the landing point, as has an earthworks not far above the high-tide line. Notably, there's furrows in the sand leading up the beach that are slightly jagged. If this translated to further problems, Atom can't see them past the earthworks without risking flight.
As he tunes in with his hearing, it's difficult to make anything out over the break, at first; the waves are gentle, but not quiet. Then, over the sound of pounding waves and metal, comes:
"Who knows what the damned Corsairs did? All I know is, this island's cursed. We should get off of it soon as possible, so's I say."
"What, so they're uncorking Hell now? Somehow a massive storm's all part of the plan? Come off it."
"They have weather witches now, don't they...?"
There are distant reports of gunfire. The castle of the Arbalest turns and opens one shot, and it rips through the vegetation with an explosive shell. There's a creaking of metal as the superstructure settles back into place.
"Shit! Make our job harder, why don't you!?"
~ ~ ~
Rezo, as you focus in on people with high Ether affinity and capable Ether-users, you come across--
-- A priest in Divine Church uniform, nervously tending to the injured. He's tall, blond, with long hair and... Perhaps has lizardkin in his background? He's got vertical-pupiled eyes in the bright sun. "Here. May the Church preserve you." His affinity is Light.
-- An imperial, rank-and-file, who is currently helping repair a bulkhead. She's not using magic now, and doesn't appear to be contemplating it. Someone with potential, maybe? Electric Affinity.
-- A clearly Planetouched man with a Wind affinity, with faintly green skin and a blank expression, looks over stores and keeps inventory. "-- Quartermaster?" Natalia says, with maybe a little more hope than she feels.
-- One of the Imperials, perhaps a lieutenant? He has black hair, and he's staring at a bandolier of small magical instruments and a book of Divine Church Law. He picks them up and is soon on his way. Someone skilled in magic, or has been on Esthere a long while, might recognize the tools of an exorcist-attorney's craft. Affinity is Dark.
-- There's another priest, on detachment with Imperial Marines, exploring the jungle of the island; it looks like they're all quite spooked. Affinity Fire.
-- A picture of ruby eyes in the darkness. something is on this island. That something is regarding you carefully. Affinity Dark.
-- The voice of the Lord Captain Rezo's able to focus on here matches the one Natalia had picked up on the radio. He's... Very clearly some sort of noble; and is given to pacing and talking to himself when no one's around. "try to one-up me, will he...?" Affinity Water.
And-- lastly--
The harekin engineer from before, now on a wooden deck, talking with a man with brown hair and a familiar sort of scoped rifle, though this one is clearly carefully engraved, unlike Natalia's. Natalia pauses. "I'll confirm-- that's the Archer!"
"It's no good. Until we get out of this sand bar, I can't even hope to clear the screws."
"Mm. We'll have to move her at high tide, if we can..."
"What about the monsters?"
"That's my problem, not yours, Eowyn."
"You say that, but I'm the one powering the magicannon..."
~ ~ ~
"So. Overall," Natalia says. "The Archer has a new carpenter, and the captain's the same, as is the quartermaster. There's at least four Imperial magic users-- both chaplains, the Lord Captain of the Helmsplitter, and-- I didn't recognize those tools, did anyone else?"
As for the detachment in the jungle, she'll hum. "They definitely don't want to be here any longer than they have to."
"So. We have some advantages, and might be able to rescue the crews if asked, but... at least one Lord Captain is eager to prove himself, and the other might be trigger-happy. Though... That's just speculation on my part. I might be wrong."