Viva La DWRP

It’s an overnight trip on whatever small ship the Corsairs were able to spare in order to get to the part of Hesaeth where Emery claims a monster is awaiting them. Most of that trip is best spent resting up for the battle ahead.

Still, that doesn’t mean that’s all there is to do. If you’re here to act as chauffeur instead of combatant then you’ll be up and about keeping the ship on track. And there’s a little time to talk among yourselves, to make last minute preparations and plans for the battle ahead.

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Emery himself is available to talk to, although he’s being uncharacteristically quiet, standing on the deck, gazing into the distance and idly stroking the frame of his lyre.

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The kodama had more or less insisted on going once the matter had been brought to his attention. Perhaps it's unusual for someone who's more familiar as a healer to be so eager to commit violence, but at the same time, perhaps not, given his track record. But then it's not particularly his eagerness to do such things that has him here.

The news of some toxic creature engineered by the Imperials is one thing, but it being an active threat to the land and everything attached to it is a genuine concern. Not that Tau enjoys the prospect of having to ferret the thing out of the mines, he already dislikes being in the Vault any longer than he has to. Which is probably why he's out on the deck as well, enjoying what fresh air there is as they make way.

He looks over at Emery, walking over towards him. Tau doesn't know a whole lot about him, but then that goes for so many of the Corsairs, and it's not like he shares a whole lot about himself.

"Anything more we need to be aware of before we get there?"

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Emery glances over at the sound of Tau's approach.

"I think I've shared all the information I have," he says. "About the conditions and our opponent. Did you have any specific questions?"

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"Is there the potential that this creature can be restored to whatever it was?" Tau asks, seeming almost hesitant before he continues. "Or it too far gone? I don't know what the Imperials do with their experiments but I know they don't hold back on atrocities if it churns out an edge for them in some way."

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Emery looks at Tau for a moment, then shakes his head. "No, I don't think so. I couldn't find out much about its creation, but I don't think it was a straightforward transformation anyway."

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Tau's expression is neutral as he soaks that information in. He nods.

"So it's better to put it out of its misery." It's upsetting, but if killing the creature is a mercy, he won't hesitate. He knows the real party responsible.

"...do you know if there are others?"

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"Oh there are plenty of beings used for Imperial ether experiments," Emery says. "The Python's situation is special in that it got dumped in the below lands and by the amount of damage it can do if left alone."

Internally, Emery reflects that there are Imperial weapons that can annihilate people very easily, but Python's more of a potential long-term environmental concern.

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"Tch."

It's not exactly a great answer to hear, but still largely unsurprising.

"Imperials are idiots," the kodama snorts, scrubbing a hand through his hair. They think that just because they live on their floating islands, they won't have to concern themselves with the world below.

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Emery huffs a laugh, the sound rueful. "To the point, aren't you?"

He's quiet for a bit longer, staring out at the water. Thinking about the Imperials he knows, and wondering if he still counts as one.

"-They don't expect to clean up their own messes," he says. "Most of the time, they don't have to. They see it as... There's them, and everyone else just exists to be used."

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"Always," Tau replies, but then he's always been one to speak his mind.

His nose wrinkles as he steps over to the railing, leaning against it as he looks out at the skies. It's probably easy to overlook what isn't within their eyesight.

"Of course. Everything is a resource to them. Even people. If it didn't cost so much for everyone else, the clearest way to make them see how badly they're screwing themselves over would be to let them ruin themselves."

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Natalia is helping to run the Humboldt while the Grand Penguin is in for repairs after a heck of a fight against, of all things, a dragon.

There's a storm threatening to blow in. Natalia watches it with a wary eye.

She'll also be assisting in combat operations-- the Humboldt is not a completely single-person vessel-- but she wishes this wasn't yet another time she's riding to battle.

Still, there's something about sailing...

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Kaitlyn, while she may have helped with a few things, is not particularly useful on the sails except for a borderline party trick or two with freezing something for a few moments to make it move.

She's instead moved to a corner of wherever Natalia is, and tried to set up a bit. Blanket, idly toying with something from her bag... Trying not to think about the storm.

Trying not to think too hard about why she agreed to this particular mission.

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She leans towards port, feeling even her muscles stress as the front picks up and the Humboldt threatens to list starboard. "We outrun the wind."

The fact is, though, she's started to be able to do this without thinking.

Which leaves her a lot of time to think, or at least, attempt to clear her mind.

Though whether they outrun the storm is a good question. "... I will admit. Strange monsters from places stranger... is a professional interest."

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"... Heh. It was my source of, basically everything, back in the Dungeon," Kaitlyn responds. "So I get you there."

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"... Mm. You want in on studying them, as well, then?" The Humboldt thankfully rights itself thanks to her efforts leaning back against the wind, keeping her steady. "... We were pretty sure ours came from a place outside the world."

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"Not in the same way," Kaitlyn clarified. "Creatures of the Dungeon - which, let's be clear, included 'Chosen' like me - collapse into dust when defeated. That dust included a material known as simply 'Color'. Like a weird video game."

She sighed. "Many of the creatures would keep spawning anew, too. When I fell in battle, I'd wake up, none the worse for wear. It was... Yeah. Shouldn't be distracting you from the conditions."

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Natalia took this to mean that Kaitlyn had detected a sudden change in the wind before she had, and glared at the distant water, then nodded. "Changing sail!" She untied the rope from the stay, watching the water carefully.

"Commodore?" There are other people aboard after all.

"Wind's changing up ahead. Getting ahead of it."

"Ready on the tiller!"

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... Kaitlyn hadn't meant it like that, but the sense is clear.

"If you've got cues you think I can follow, then please."

She's got a few tricks, even though mostly she doesn't work in large cuts, after all.

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"Hand on the tiller, be ready to turn right; when I call to starboard, push the tiller that way." Natalia points.

For a moment, the boat starts to slow down and list as the sail slackens. "Moving the arm!"

"Moving arm, aye~"

The sail arms swing about the sloop. "To starboard!"

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