Patchwork Universe

Avinneyya · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 10:44 pm Post subject: The Golden Boat

The little Boat rocked forward as it passed through the mist.
Avinneyya steadied himself with his black walking stick, catching a glimpse of the Koi's tail disappearing into the mist. He began to evaluate his surroundings: the water was not that of the shallow, clear canal- it was blue, brilliantly blue, much deeper than the canal, and seemed to Avinneyya, unfamilliar with salt water, to have an almost milky quality. There was a disconcerting absence of land to either side of it; it stretched on until it reached another bank of fog. The air was different- it was not the cool, musty, humid air of the Temple, but was warm, and tinged with salt. Most disconcertingly of all, the Birds hadn't begun to flock through this new playground. In the distance, Avinneyya could see some sort of structure near an Island.
This...Avinneyya thought, is an... ocean... like the Pilgrims would speak of crossing to reach the temple...moved here by some miracle. But it is more than that, I feel- It is as though it is a whole new world existing that I have entered into. Perhaps those who dwell here shall take an interest in the Temple. Or perhaps they will not. Either way, I shall have new company.
The Boat continued to sail northwards.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

As the small golden boat rounded the island, the structure came into view. It was, indeed, a ship - but one large enough to house a village, or even a small town. Her steep wooden sides rose up at a rounded angle to the water, and her gold and black paintwork gleamed in the light of the setting sun. Much activity could be seen on deck and amidst the rigging, as figures moved about with aclarity, while a small knot gathered in the waist (or middle) of the ship, spyglasses focused on the craft that now hove into view. As with several of the other small craft, it seemed no threat - but many curious vessels and folk had been encountered by the crew in these last few days, and suspicion was running high.

From the goldent boat, an observer might notice as the line of flags at the end of the ship was hauled in, and replaced by a new arrangement. There was yet more activity on deck, and some of the gunports on the near side of the ship opened, with the muzzle of canons clearly visible within. Then, one of the blue-coated figures in the group produced a funnel of some kind, and the observer might now hear the following echo out over the still waters. "Foreign craft! This is the HMS Justice. Declare your origin and intention at once, or we will be forced to consider your actions hostile."

Avinneyya · Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 7:15 pm Post subject: response

Avinneyya looked up at his questioner.
"My name...it is that I am called by others Avinneyya the Boddhisattva ." the boat's occupant shouted up, hoping his voice would reach the figure in blue. "I wish no ill will to you. I have come from the Great Temple which lies to the south in hopes of gaining an understanding of what has occurred. I may understand that you are aware of the fog which surrounds the Temple? It appears to extend to this region as well. Could you tell me much about it?" Avinneyya looked up hopefully at the figure.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

The golden boat was now close enough to the ship so that Avinneyyacould hear some of the conversation of board. "Another foreigner - strange doings - not that city, some kind of heathen temple, he says..." The knot of blue coated figures seemed engaged in especially heated debate, and activity down below decks increased, while more gunports opened in an ominous fashion, with various sailors craning out to get a look at the golden craft and its strange inhabitant. Finally, a decision appeared to have been reached.

"Very well. Mr. Avinneyya, in light of the unusual activity that has taken place in this area, and our concern with regard to potential hostile action by pirates, we request that you land your craft on the island -" Here the blue-coated figure waved towards the sandy beach, just visible to the lee of the great ship. "A launch will be sent to meet you there, and one of our Lieutenants will be pleased to speak with you about the current situation, or at least what we understand of it."

Avinneyya · Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 8:50 pm Post subject:

Completely unbidden, the Boat stopped and rotated a full ninety degrees in the water to face the Island, then continued on its mindlessly straight path. It ran aground on the Island's sandy shore, and continued well up the sands. Avinneyya stepped off onto the beach, brushing the sand from his robe.
"That was unplanned," he thought.
He picked up a shell, and began to play with it, seemingly mesmerised by its beauty.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

A short time later, one of the boats was launched from the side of the ship, headed for the beach on the island. As it drew closer, the occupants could be clearly perceived - at the bow sat a young boy, next to him a youthful girl, and at the stern, a slightly older woman. All these appeared to be officers, and were dressed in navy blues. Two red coated marines were with them, and the boat was crewed by a handful of sailors. When the boat reached the shore, the three officers disembarked and approached Avinneyya, where he sat on the shore.

"Good evening, Mr. Avinneyya - I am Second Lieutenant Susan Staves, of the HMS Justice." It was the woman who spoke, and she gave a polite half-bow as she did so. Her manner was coridal, but somewhat cool. "This is Midshipman Langford," she gestured to the boy, "and Midshipman Bayfield." This, the older girl. "We are given to believe that you are a foreigner, come from a land beyond the mists - however, this is not the first time that we have encountered strangers, and you are unlike those which have come from the South before. Therefore, it behooves us to ask something further about your identity, your homeland, and your purpose in coming here - how long you plan to stay, and whether you plan to journey onwards, or return from whence you came. I do hope you will not scruple to state your intentions."

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

Having been properly introduced, and made his greeting, Midshipman Paul Langford promptly ceased to pay any mind to the ongoing conversation between Lieutenant Staves and yet another oddly dressed foreigner from the mists. If there was going to be an action of some kind, he rather hoped it would happen soon, as all of this waiting and preparing was *boring.* And that thought, of course, led naturally to another - whether his sandcastle was still standing. It had been no more than half a watch since he built it, but with the tide coming in...Paul tried to shift himself unobtrusively so that he could catch a glimpse further down the beach.

Midshipman Lily Bayfield, who had been standing at attention, and attempting to follow the conversation, caught her junior comrade craning his neck and looking down the beach - for what, she was not sure. But, she contrived to give him a nudge with her elbow, and upon catching his eye, hissed "Pay attention!" in as low a whisper as she could manage.

Avinneyya · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 7:48 pm Post subject:

"The evening is pleasant, Second Lieutenant Susan Staves, and the two midshipmen." Avinneyya continued talking. "I am the...you would say...curator-caretaker- yes, that's more accurate, of the great Temple of the Birds, which lies in the forest now apperantly to the South of Here, to the East of the Empire of the Three Suns, although none has come from there in years. I awoke to find the temple surrounded by a square of fog, and I sought to investigate. When I passed through it, I found myself here. I believe I shall have to hear what you can tell me about the situation before I can form any intentions of what I shall do next."

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

Lieutenant Staves critically studied the small man as he spoke. He seemed harmeless enough - and based on what Lieutenant Stafford had told them, it was more likely that any attack would come from the pirates in the north, rather than from the south. So, it would do no harm to tell the man something about the mists, and allow him passage through the area.

"Well, sir I'm afraid there isn't much that I can tell you - the mysterious fog settled approximately five days ago, and has not lifted or lessened once in all that time. It appears to extend on all sides, one nautical mile in any direction. Since it descended, we have had no less than half a dozen foreigners of different kinds emerging from the mist. Indeed, one was a vagabond of some kind, called himself Quickgrip, and he claimed to come from a great city in the South, as well." Here Staves paused. "That is all we know at the moment, but we have been warned that the mists are dangerous and the lands beyond them shifting and strange, though I expect it may all be superstition."

Patchwork Universe · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:23 am Post subject: Castles in the Sand

The tide had been lapping at the edge of the beach with agonising slowness. With no mistrals or typhoons to whip the waves into fury, the gentle creep of the warm water towards the white sand had been a long one.

But finally the water had reached the edge of the minature Battle of Janina. The sand defenses looked likely to be overwhelmed by a white crested ripple which was from their perspective a mighty tidal wave. The water slid up into the bay that fronted the sand harbour and Midshipman Paul Langford felt the pang that any architect must, on seeing his creation about to be devoured by the sea.

But no. The defenses held. The harbour walls, decorated in coloured stones, stood as firm as the moment they had been made: the white walls proud and strong and the little flag fluttering from the tiny battlements. The wave had not destroyed them.

More wonderful still, the little sand ship was now bobbing about in the tiny bay, the rose flag it bore dipping a salute to the imaginary defenders as it slipped back with the tide and moved gently out to sea.

The next ripple of water carried the tiny sand ship out further still and now the model harbour was a sheet of blue. Nonetheless the defences showed now sign of giving in, standing as tall and true as Janina itself, defying the gentle wrath of the ocean.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

Midshipman Langford, having been (somewhat painfully) reminded of his duty, managed to return his attention to the conversation of his superiors long enough to hear Lieutenant Staves dismiss the unusual happenings as "superstition." He found this strange, seeing as it was the First Lieutenant who had issued the initial warning, and he was a rather stern and unimaginative sort. But everyone was acting oddly of late, here was Staves herself speaking so respectfully to a small while-haired boy, (much younger than Paul), as if he were some kind of greybeard.

As his attention wandered again, Langford noticed the gentle wave sweeping up the beach, as it came almost up to where they had landed the boat. 'That'll have done it -' he thought with despair, when wonder of wonders, he caught sight of the small sand ship *floating* on the water.

Hearing a soft gasp, Midshipman Bayfield looked over at her junior a second time, this time catching him gazing, open mouthed down the beach, at some little object - was it a model ship? - floating in the rise of a wave. Cursing internally at Paul's inability to pay attention, Lily leaned over slightly and trod on his foot to get him to focus.

Avinneyya · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 8:16 pm Post subject: Shifting

"It would appear that the lands beyond the Mists shift indeed." Avinneyya said. "There are no cities within an hundred of miles of the Temple of the Birds, and there certainly have been no travellers through the Temple recently." A city. Perhaps there are those who would be Pilgrims there. He thought. Avinneyya focused a third eye off in the distance, to see a miniature battlement holding out against the sea.
"I beleive that I shall... continue my journey into the...mists, as soon as the...tide reaches my boat. I give you my thanks for what you have told me." He winked at Midshipman Langford with an eye which was, perhaps, that of a small child, or perhaps that of one who had seen lives glow and go out like sparks from a campfire.

Captain Isobel DeRainault · Good Joined: 20 Jan 2004 Posts: 171 Location: HMS Justice

"Very good, sir. I wish you fair winds and Godspeed." Lieutenant Staves gave a polite nod of her head. As an afterthought, she added. "We were warned that there may be pirates in the North, so you may wish to take care if you head in that direction. One of the foreigners who passed through here was a gentleman who came from the East, and claimed to come from a place called the Imperial Foundry. That might be a safer choice." With that dismissal, she seemed content to leave the old man alone.

Turning to the female midshipman who stood next to her, Staves commented. "Well, since we've come to the island, we might as well have a look at those trees you had marked for spars, Midshipman Bayfield. Will you show them to me?" Lily Bayfield snapped to attention "Aye, ma'am!" With a gesture to the marines to follow, the two women began walking up the rise to the treeline. Paul Langford, the younger male midshipman, held back. "Umm, perhaps I should stay with the boat, and keep an eye on our guest? I mean, with permission, ma'am?"

"Mr. Langford!" Lily gave Paul a dirty look. She *knew* this was just an excuse to allow him the chance to go larking down the beach. But it was too late, as Lieutenant Staves, who had noticed nothing, was already giving permission. "Yes, Midshipman Langford, I suppose that would be a good idea. Carry on, then."

As soon as his superiors were out of sight, Paul flashed a smile at Avinneyya, who he still saw as a young boy like himself, and hurried off down the beach to have a closer look at the marvelous sandcastle, which appeared somehow to have survived the tide.

Avinneyya · Posted: Sun May 02, 2004 8:24 pm Post subject: Sand

Avinneyya hurried after Paul, feeling his hair get swept back in the wind. He drove his walking stick into the ground moments before he would have run into the castle, and began to look around. Paul was seemingly enthralled with his castle's survival, but Avinneyya seemed more interested in the collection of objects further up on the beach.
"Excuse me, Midshipman Langford- I shall be right back, I believe."

Patchwork Universe · Posted: Tue May 04, 2004 2:26 pm Post subject:

[ooc note: all characters have now left this thread and passed on to the new Castles in the Sand (Mizzen) thread.]