Ozmodias Harbor

The sky is bright and sunny, but not particularly inspirational. Sailors mill about, carrying heavy wooden crates and giving odd looks to the strange man yelling at the sky. Thieves, hawkers, and ladies of ill repute steer clear of him, as he looks like he has no money. As he sets up, a man taps him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mayor, could I- oh! I'm sorry sir, I thought you were someone else. You look just like mayor Fletcher..."

Raulio would turn to see a thin, skeletal man in a crisp grey suit.

The man contemplates the proffered hand for a moment, then shakes it gingerly. He wipes it on a handkerchief immediately after.

"Er...nice to meet you. I'm Sylvester Surstromming. Lawyer. And I suppose you're an artist?"

He makes a sound that sounds very similar to a derisive snort being suppressed.

"Well, if you see the mayor, tell him I was looking for him."

The lawyer walks off.

"Off ye get!" Shouted the captain of the ship. He had been courteous enough not to make Shaun swim to shore. The trouble had all started when the wizard did a reading for one of the sailors. The sailors reading told of a disaster ahead. During the voyage a storm struck and the ship was almost lost. The superstitious sailors locked the priest in a cabin for the remainder of the trip.

Now Shaun had been deposited in a strange city in a foreign land. He was a nomad by nature, profession, and religion. The duty of his priesthood was to wander the land observing the ways of life and attempting to teach others the way of the path. The priests would report what they learned to the High Priest. Shaun had been bound for Medan and new enough of his destination to know that this was not it. The priest was not distressed however. This was his path. Shaun knew not how long he had been following his path but he knew it was righteous.

Lord Alecos Sorrowsong, half-Fae and exile, dressed in his faded, yet rich, clothes, smiled sadly, taking in what would probably be the last breath of fresh sea air he would get in a long while, as the ship he was sailing on, the Azuran, was pulled into berth in the Ozmodias Harbour.

Alecos turned from the rail that faced out to the harbour, striding across the deck with his cane as he said to his companion, Lord Ihram Krigsbroder,

"Well, Ihram, we made it. Across the Long Seas, through fear, flame and fury, we have made it. And perhaps now our fortunes may change. We came prepared for whatever they may throw at us; it cannot be worse than what we have been through. Let us begin the greatest of adventures all."

He strode down the gangplank, clutching at the railing because his cane was useless on the plank, carefully keeping up his facade of being somewhat infirm. A few young boys scurried around him, hoping to be paid to carry his baggage.

"Deep fried octopus?" Shaun had never tried such a thing. It smelled delicious."I have never tried it before. It looks good." Shaun was hungry. He had survived on half-rations during his trip. "I am afraid that I only have Falsarian coins." Shaun held out a couple copper coins that had what looked like a bishop on one side and a path disappearing into the distance on the other. "They are good copper. If you don't like them I do a bit of fortune reading. I could pay that way if you like."
Robert Fletcher

"Poisonous!" Shaun was momentarily shocked before he realized that the man was joking. "How do you catch these things anyways? I heard they live at the bottom of the ocean." The priest handed over the coins then took a bite. The fried batter was crispy and oily, while the flesh was rich and tasted slightly of the sea. The lemon zest melded the two tastes together.

"This is delicious!" Shaun exclaimed. Ravishingly, he took several more bites. He had failed to notice anything unusual about the vendor as he was the first person he had talked to in Ozmodias.

Shaun gulped then chuckled. "I will keep that in mind. Not sure I will ever come upon any octopus though." Shaun was about to walk away, but then he figured he should use this chance to find out some information about the city. "Could you recommend a cheap place to stay?" Shaun asked the octopus man. "I am afraid this is not the city I set out for and I have no arrangements made. I also need to find a church, or other such holy place."

Perhaps it was odd to ask for any holy place. The way of the Seven Paths was not particular to where you went to pray. Any spiritual place would do. Out in nature these were easy to find, but in the city it was different. Most of humanity had lost touch with it's spiritual side. A church, temple, or other such worship house was an oasis of spirituality in the aridity of an urban environment.

The vendor seemed busy so Shaun walked off to find accommodation and a place to pray on his own. As he walked he began to take in the crowd, mentally preparing his first report. The dock were crowded with children, sailors, travelers and merchants. Ships were unloaded and off loaded. As he picked up snippets of conversations he began to realize that the Octopus seller was a bit different.

Alecos followed after Ihram, walking slowly as his cane tapped the ground, making a familiar rhythym. As much as he thanked the boat for the escape, he still preferred the feeling of dry ground.

<Exit to Streets and Alleys of Ozmodias>