Because Because Because Because Because...!!! (Mint & Winnow)

Winnow goes aboard, searching starting with the deck, working his way down to the hold and even bilges if they tell him something.

Mint brings her small metal friend along in her pouch and follows Winnow to the ship.

She simply nods her assent when Winnow suggests she watch from ashore. I asked him to wait at the Lighthouse and he did. So this is sauce for the goose I guess.

On the shore Mint will survey the nearby area with an eye toward where any survivors might have chosen to go if they left the ship or washed ashore in the near vicinity. Although the storm may have washed away any tracks, it may not have obliterated every sign and Mint has a keen eye as well as persistent Beneficence from her earlier spell so she may well spot something. She will remain close enough to sprint to Winnow's aid in the unlikely event that he believes he needs it.

Aboard the Celeste, Winnow finds the ship's cargo easily enough--barrels of dried herbs. If he opens one, he'll find they have a pungent sweet-and-sour odor. He can well imagine someone liking it very much, which explains the sheer number of barrels and why it might be a profitable thing to trade.

But in the main cabin, he finds a woman. Dead. She lies upon the bed in simple but good sailor's garb. From the blue tint to her skin and the green one to her hair she would appear Rebman. Beside her is a large vial with a medicinal smell to the dregs still within. If he checks the same smell is on her lips. She looks perhaps thirty.

Nearby is a book, fallen to the deck. It looks like a log and closer examination shows that is precisely so.

He soon learns the Celeste plied her trade between several different ports in the Golden Circle. Her owners were a half-Rebman captain and his two sons, along with one daughter and her husband. They were en route to deliver ground up mana root when they had to pass the Triangle (evidently a well-known area to mariners) when the currents took an unexpected direction -- a fact that puzzled everyone greatly. So too the fact something called the "Sea Fang" seemed to be missing (in context, the crew felt as relieved at this fact as they were baffled).

To their further surprise, the Celeste log noted how the stars had subtly shifted, indicating a new opening in Shadow. Debate ensued about what to do next.

The last entry was in a new hand...

I am alone now. My brothers, my father, my beloved Jarl. Of all the dangers in the sea this had been one we thought never to face. Since we are in a new Shadow, these must be a different group of merewives, dancing in different seas. Our ill fortune was beyond all that of poor gamblers in all the worlds to find our ship in their domain. I pray to the Unicorn and Leviathan both that none of them knew what song they were hearing. A false hope -- we all recognized the circle within the gale. The thrice-damned creatures sang and all the men answered. Leaving me here in alien seas, alone, my heart rent into shreds. No reason left to breathe or eat or do anything but sleep, hoping for dreams of what can never again be. So that is what I shall do. A strong glass of wine coupled with all the sleeping draught. Then I shall dream and never wake, save maybe in another life without any memory of this one. Or perhaps, if the Powers be kind, I shall be with my beloveds once more.

After failing to find anything on the shore, Mint sketches the ship for her reports. That finished she starts the long slow process of mentally modelling a new spell. Mint is hesitant to start the more practical portion of designing a new spell until she has left this place.

Winnow waves Mint on board as soon as he determines there is no obvious threat, trusting to the equines to warn them of anything else. He will show her the main finds - the herb cargo, presumably the ground mana root, and the dead woman, an obvious suicide.

"Perhaps too obvious, but we will have to take it at face value for now," he says to Mint after she sees the situation and reads the woman's entry.

"So it seems obvious that the Merewives got them, that they have changed track as rumored, and the Sea Fang is not there anymore. I believe the Sea Fang is a promontory connected to treacherous reefs. It is a navigation point but also dangerous. So something in shadow shifted - their route or the Fang itself, or perhaps it was destroyed. Probably the route, as the stars seemed different. The route took them elsewhere from their expectations."

Winnow will examine the logbook carefully, trying to work out where they left from, where they were heading, and the route they took by their observations. If possible he wants to find out where the ship's home port is, and see if he can return the woman's body to someone, some family. If not, a burial and a marker here will have to suffice.

"The ship seems seaworthy enough. We could sail it between us, in good weather, if we needed to. Not easily, but possible."

"I would like to find the fracture that led this ship here from Amber's waters. If I knew that Karlsen would definitely travel here I would wait for him as I would very much like to know what he would make of the things here. Given the failures of communication I think we cannot afford to simply wait. I propose that I leave two notes at the lighthouse with Persephone. I will write one as a letter of introduction to the enchanter and the second as a missive to any of our erstwhile allies who might arrive in our absence. Likely the enchanter will read both, but we cannot help that. I have already begun the preliminary stages of solving these communication problems in the long term, but that will not happen quickly."

Mint looks over the vessel.

"If you agree to this plan I will return to the lighthouse, say our goodbyes to Persephone, and leave the notes while you make ready for departure upon my return. Did you leave anything there that you would like me to retrieve?"

Mint thinks for a moment.

"I should warn you that I lack experience with ships. I do learn quickly, but you will have to instruct me initially. I can at least swim for what that is worth."

Taking silence for assent, Mint races back to the Lighthouse. She does a sweep of both buildings for any property that any of them might have left. She also grabs a half dozen of the food spheres. Then she takes the time to compose two carefully composed notes. She addresses the first to 'the enchanter' and the second to 'allies of Mintabilia'.

"Persephone, I thank you for your hospitality. I entrust you with these twin missives. The first I ask that you give to your master upon his return. The second I ask that you provide to anyone who arrives and asks about myself. That is unless you would like to accompany us upon an adventure? Your company would prove most welcome."

Mint makes sure the door is relocked and that she has the key. Then she returns to Winnow.

Persephone demurs. "This is my place. My being flows from it and when visitors leave I soon fall into slumber. But should others come I will gladly deliver your notes. If I may ask, do you plan to take Punch and Judy aboard ship with you?"

"Yes. If I could insure their transportation from here I would save them the inconvenience, but Trumps work oddly in this place."

Winnow goes along with Mint to the lighthouse, and invites the equines to come aboard ship.

He says to them, "It may be uncomfortable, if you're not used to it, but you will be in no more danger than we are. But right now our mystical transportation methods are questionable and we would like to have you along. If things get desperate then we may all have to try to use them no matter the risk."

If they want to come along, he will spend some time improvising narrow stalls belowdecks, so the equines can brace themselves against the ship's movement. He does know that horses sleep standing up, and they only lie down on the ground when sick or birthing. If they are coming along he will also load aboard as much fodder as he can for them.

If they do not want to come along, he suggests they remain in the vicinity of the lighthouse for as long as they can, and that he or Mint will come back to find them later.

"Mint, I would really like to have a crew for this ship. It's going to be a real strain to try to sail it ourselves. But the trump problems preclude obtaining one direct from Amber, for example, so I propose to sail for the nearest port that has sailors and recruit. Then we can sail where we will. We can also try the trumps from time to time until we can make safe contact, and either depart through them or bring ourselves assistance. What say you?"

In any case he will busy himself and hopefully Mint in checking the ships provisioning - especially fresh water, then food, and other supplies. He rapidly improvises, re-rigs, splices and otherwise gets the rigging ready. He sets up some jury-rigs with block and tackle to allow one strong person to do the work of ten in heaving on lines, stays and sheets. He especially checks the rudder and mechanism to make sure there is no damage. In short, he will do everything he can to allow them to sail with just two people, one of them a lubber.

He will keep a running explanation going, trying to bring Mint up to speed on sailing as quickly as possible, while trying to avoid too much jargon.

Before they depart, he will discuss with Mint what to do with the body. "We could bury her here on land with a marker. We could bury her at sea, which to a sailing family is no shame or dishonor. Or we could preserve her in salt or spirits, if we have any aboard. [Is there anything like that aboard? Anything that could be used for unsophisticated embalming?] What we can't do is just keep her rotting in the hold."

Punch and Judy are (understandably) very reluctant to travel by ship, not least the logistics of getting them aboard a beached schooner and its challenges. They discuss things and opt to stay in and around the lighthouse, where the nearby hills have considerable grass and other fodder.

While the Celeste has spirits, it doesn't have nearly enough to embalm a body.

Closer examination of the log also reveals the ship's home port (insomuch as it had one) was Baylesport north of Amber. She had been on a run to Fjordheim in Uberwald, after picking up the mana in Bergma.

As long as they are in a place where magic works and they have any theoretically edible materials Mint has no problem providing salt, spirits and supplies in abundance. Salt seems like the better choice for preserving the body to Mint, but she will defer to Winnow's experience.

Mint will talk with Punch and Judy before leaving. "Are you sure that you want to stay here? On the ship Winnow and I can protect you. If we leave you here we cannot. I can lay in plenty of supplies for you and magic you both safely the short distance onto the ship. We do not know the time flows here. We could return to find your skeletons, your descendants or both. If you stay you are making the choice to potentially spend the rest of your lives in this place. Do you both want to take that risk?"

To Winnow she says, "Your plans for recruiting a crew and checking the Trumps make sense to me. Aside from that I would like to follow the ships back trail as much as possible and once back in contact with our continuum make for Uberwald."

Judy speaks for them both. "The sea is not our place, and even trying to get aboard a ship is something far more fraught with terror for us than you may suppose. We are not meant to drown and to do so would be unnatural. We will not risk it. This seems like a good place, and Persephone says the Enchanter is a good man. He will come back eventually. And who knows? Perhaps we may meet again, but in his company."

"I do hope that we will meet again. I grant to you both the freedom to take up service with the enchanter if you so choose and the opportunity presents or to rejoin us and complete the contract should that happen and prove your desire. I will attempt to return here and at least get you home no matter what."

Mint will cast the Cornucopia for them before leaving providing them with a feast of whatever they like. She will also give them a pouch of jewels of the sort valuable in Iv.

"Is there anything else we may do for you before we depart?"

"I think you have much to do on your own behalf," says Punch, "and we have become a distraction. Your kind often finds great profit from such things as journeying upon the waves. You have already done much for us. And we thank you. Now we pursue different adventures."

Mint will cast To Wrest Beneficence from the Universe twice, once for each of them.

"You have my blessing. Good fortune will stay with you here since I cannot."

Mint makes her way to the boat and prepares to leave with Winnow.

After saying goodbyes to Punch and Judy and Persephone, Winnow will give Mint instruction as best he can as they prepare for the journey. He lightens ship by dumping unnecessary cargo, pumping the bilges, and ensuring there are no leaks. He will use whatever means he can to ensure they can launch, including using the anchors and the capstan or windlass to drag them off the beach, or dig out the sand at low tide to help them float off at high, Pattern up a gale to blow them into the water from the strand, whatever it takes.

He will take Mint's offer to manufacture salt and vinegar, and pack the dead woman in a mixture of these things and the mana root. If he can find an appropriate crate, he will use that, otherwise he will build a coffin. His carpentry is adequate, and he never lacks for tools.

He will ensure the logs and any other personal effects are preserved for the woman's family.

Once afloat, they will sail out into shadow, keeping close to shore in water shallow enough to deter bad seas but deep enough to be safe. He will set the courses only (lower sails) and be very conservative. He will teach Mint how to steer while he works the running rigging to control the sails. Once they are on a steady, even course paralleling shore he will try out Trumps. Gerard's first.

If that does not work he will begin shifting toward the nearest port that ships of this size serve, so that they might hire a crew. He will take the Royal Way, where everything is sunny and the breezes brisk but never fearsome.

He explains to Mint that he does not want to backtrack the ship's course right now - with no crew, and possibly heading for a repeat of the disastrous encounter that took most of the crew in the first place. With a crew, and reliable Trump contact, he is willing.

He will keep trying Gerard's trump until he gets a good solid connection.

Mint has no trouble providing the necessary supplies before they depart. She has nearly no knowledge of ships, but she does learn quickly.

"I have no problem waiting until we have a crew to follow the trail, but I am not convinced that we will re-establish reliable Trump contact until we make it out of this set of Shadows. I think following the back trail of this ship is our best bet for that."

The image of Gerard appears, but seems less clear somehow. As if Winnow were suffering from little or no sleep and maybe a bit drunk on top of that.

"Winnow...have...letters...found...Fergus...gone..."

Mint pulls out her own Trump of Gerard and adds her own strength of will to stabilize the contact. For the moment she leaves the actual conversation to the two of them.

Winnow drives his will [somewhat above Amber] with Mint's to communicate, "Mint and I are all right, we continue to investigate. We will call again when we can." After Mint adds anything, he will close the contact.

Winnow will continue to shift carefully, sailing safely, seeking a crew - a port, another ship in need of rescue, even a fishing village. He will try to get the feel of the distortion so he can adjust his shifting aims to coincide. For example, if he tried for a five-knot breeze and gets ten, he will adjust his aims to match. He will try to apply this principle to the complexities of seeking a crew, if possible. Hopefully the distortion shows some consistency and is not completely random.

Mint simply repeats Winnow's message three more times varying the emphasis, inflection, and word order a bit in hopes that repetition will get the gist of their communication past the distortion.

As they sail Mint quickly begins to get the hang of the new shipboard environment. Despite her near total lack of experience, she does reasonably well avoiding obvious mistakes and never making the same mistake twice.

Frankly, were Mint and Winnow not of more-than-human strength and endurance the Celeste would very nearly wander on the waves. As it is, a full day and a half is needed for them to really get the hang of working together, getting a feel for the ship, etc.

These seas seem pleasant enough. Gull-like birds flock around rocks and reefs, which helps the two Amberites steer clear. Several times they see the same long-necked seal-like creatures swimming alongside. In behavior they remind Winnow of dolphins, albeit larger. The waters are temperate.

Any attempt to manipulate Shadow here feels a little slippery, which is odd but not a major inconvenience. It simply requires a tad more care and concentration.

By the end of the second day, after a brief and minor rain, they spot land. More, they spot a port! A fair-sized city, in fact, hugging the ground between some mountains and an oval bay, one side a sandy finger stretching out into the sea and the other side a series of hills. A wall surrounds the city, which to their eyes seems to have been repaired in recent years by inferior but competent craftsmen. Above the city and behind it are two castles. The lower one looks relatively new, white-washed, with one very tall tower. Above that one stand the ruins of a much older, larger and more impressive structure. Its towers are broken, walls breached, windows devoid of glass. And it bears a distinct resemblance to Castle Amber!

Banners fly from towers along the city walls. They bear the same sigil:

The port has many ships, coming and going and simply at rest. A quick glance confirms one or two warships of medium size. The approach of the Celeste excites a little interest, but not a lot. No trumpets, no gathering of troops visible.

In the distance inland, lots of farmland can be seen.

Mint will do the needful to get the ship into port at Winnow's direction. If she can steal the time she will check whether magic works here while she can do so some distance from port and out of sight. Even if spells do work I'm not sure that this odd place won't have some law or custom restricting their use.

A tiny test will show that sorcery does indeed work here.