Arrival at Baharna

Diplomatic action

Under the escort of Steersman Leaf's longship, the Hashinara Clan's temporary Baharnan crew finally pulled their stolen Black Galleon into the great port of Baharna. While the surrounding cluster of clay and stone houses was certainly more a city than a town, all of Baharna's activity seemed to be concentrated around the docks. Several other vessels were already settled here and a variety of exotic-looking goods were being peddled right at the water's edge. Some distance above them, a mighty spyglass, easily the size of an average house, stared down at them like an enormous glass eye.

When their crew had finished docking, Sothy wasted no time in expressing her gratitude for the Hashinara Clan's rescue of herself and her people. Once captured by the Black Galleon Slavers, she'd despaired that she might never see her home again. Sothy's father, the Chieftan, was no doubt waiting up near the great spyglass, so she bid her heroes to visit them once she'd explained the situation. Veasna the Elder would no doubt want to give them a reward in time, but for now they could explore the port freely.   Before she left, Fubuki caught Sothy with a few more questions. First, the cold-eyed oni wanted to know if many goods from The Enchanted Wood made their way to Baharna. While most would remember that as being where The White Rabbit Bowl took place, few knew that Ooawagaeri had taken another adventure there recently in his first experience as a Dreamer. In answer, Sothy told Fubuki that they traded often with Ulthar, and sometimes obtained goods from the Wood that way, but never interacted directly with that place's inhabitants.   Zhyrgal, worried about cats, teamed up with Hashinara Yoshitakatomo's pocket, while Aotsuki Tsukamoto took his companions and sheele off into the market to explore. Meanwhile, Fubuki continued her* own investigation by holding the plundered bag of rubies high and asking if anyone knew anything about them. Steersman Leaf apparently did. After disembarking her own ship, the little viking crossed the dock and informed Fubuki in some unclear terms that the things were bad luck. If she had her way, Leaf would sail out to sea and drop the sack of rubies in the ocean. Taking that suggestion with the severity it deserved, Fubuki went on to ask her* companions for their opinion. Aka no Kitsunebi agreed with their diminuitive companion and suggested they ditch the rubies. Taira no Tokuko, however, stated that their shared ancestry was not one which easily gave up power, regardless of its source. Fubuki held off on making a final decision on the gems for the moment, instead taking her* companions into the Baharnan bustle.   Just a bit further inland, Aotsuki Tsukamoto was having a bewildering encounter. He'd brought his company over to the mess of market stalls in the hopes of finding a gift for Tokku-hime and Abe no Seimei on his return. Everything on display here seemed to have too many tentacles, though. A sweet-smelling tub of resin caught his interest, but the shopkeep chose that moment to speak rapidly to Aotsuki in a language he hadn't a hope of understanding. Seeing the confusion plain on his face, the stall tender switched to another language. This one, Aotsuki was pretty sure, he'd heard Maxim speaking at some point. It was no more comprehensible to him, however. Fortunately, a friendly Dreamer standing nearby intervened and offered to translate.   The vibrant young woman introduced herself as Othéa and explained that this shop probably didn't have anything the handsome visitor would be interested in. She'd until recently been talking with a Zoog, whom Othéa introduced as Zinnia the Traveler. Zinnia apparently knew enough Japanese to converse with Aotsuki and seemed genuinely delighted to practice. Othéa offered to take Aotsuki to a shop that might have more of interest to him. Unfortunately, Zinnia couldn't come along. She was hiding back, away from the water, for fear of a certain Cat of Ulthar keeping watch out there. Indeed, thinking back, Aotsuki realized that he'd passed a quite haughty-looking feline on his way up here. Despite being several times the cat's size, there was real fear in Zinnia's eyes when she talked about it. Something about Zoogs and Cats, a racial feud, apparently. Regardless, Othéa bid the other farewell for the moment and took Aotsuki just a short distance to a stall on the other side of the harbor.   A young Baharnan woman was standing here watching the sea traffic. As Aotsuki approached, her eyes landed on him and lit up immediately. She began speaking in the same language as the previous trader, but Aotsuki found, oddly, that he could understand her just fine. It seemed she was using the same spell that Maxim was under to facilitate his communication with the clan. This woman, Kravann as she introduced herself, was eager to help Aotsuki find the "perfect gift" for his two lady friends. She'd even be so generous as to procure them for a trade, since Aotsuki likely didn't have any of the local currency about him. The Golden Shield had to admit this was true, and so asked what she was looking for in trade. Wamp hides, came the answer, and a vial of their blood. Baharnans earned their titles as a sort of surname-equivalent, Kravann explained, and she wanted to earn hers by crafting a custom Ghost Leather suit of armor. For that, she'd need the hides and blood. Aotsuki could find Wamps in the Ruins of Tyrhhia across Lake Yath. Although dangerous, Kravann seemed confident that a warrior of Aotsuki's obvious skill wouldn't have any trouble dealing with them.   Something about Kravann's deal, perhaps the promise of hand-picked gifts and perhaps her earnest ambition, spoke to Aotsuki. He warmed to the idea quickly, and sent a mental message to Yoshitakatomo asking if she* would like to accompany him on a quick trip to Tyrhhia. The Daimyō was, however, currently busy. Kensei, Empress, and enigma, Toba Himawari had descended from Leaf's longship and stopped when she saw Yoshitakatomo. Judging from the other's bearing and dress, Himawari judged her* to be the current Empress of Japan. When Yoshitakatomo denied it, Himawari took it in stride. She did, however, express interest in the other's claim that the future Emperor of Japan was even then in the port with them. Despite their other similarities, Himawari seemed to have little interest in vague answers. She stated that Yoshitakatomo could speak to her again when she was at the side of the true Emperor. With that, she pushed past the Princess-Daimyō and continued inward to Baharna.   Yoshitakatomo was not so easily rebuffed, however. She* followed Himawari, curious about what exactly the former ruler had meant when she called herself "The Dreaming Empress." As a Dreamer, Toba should have a Human body sleeping somewhere on Earth. It seemed more than possible, then, that Empress Go-Toba slumbered somewhere in the waking world, perhaps sealed away like Empress Genmei. Toba Himawari, however, had no patience left for Yoshitakatomo. She left without acknowledging the Daimyō's bow. Perhaps she did not know she was snubbing a newly-ascended deity of dreams. Or perhaps she did. Regardless, Yoshitakatomo did not stop her again. Sasaki Kojirō, however, took the opportunity to follow the Swordmaster Empress into the city for her own ends.   With that discussion done, Yoshitakatomo turned her* attention back to Aotsuki's question. It would be interesting, she* allowed, to see these forgotten ruins and the strange creatures of the Dreamlands which dwelled within them. That only left one member of their party unaccounted for. Fubuki, up to that point, had just run in with a couple of strange encounters. One of them was with the perched Cat, who somehow recognized Fubuki from her* visit to Ulthar, despite that being a body and a dream separated from who she* was now. Playing along, Fubuki allowed a pair of cat ears to sprout from the top of her* head, immediately earning the Cat's kinship. He explained that he was there to keep watch for a Zoog which was supposedly in the area. Graciously excusing Fubuki's apparent amnesia, the Cat spoke that the Zoog may have forgotten their sin, but the Cats of Ulthar never would. Their feud was one which would last for eternity. Thanking him for the warning, Fubuki continued on her* way...   ...Only to run into the Zoog immediately afterward. Zinnia exchanged a few words with Fubuki, mostly concerned with whether the Cat was still there. He was. Fubuki, meanwhile, was most concerned with looking for unique metals or other materials while she* had the luxury of an earthly body in the Dreamlands. Zinnia could help her* there. Pointing out a distinctive Baharnan on the ramparts across the harbor, the Zoog directed Fubuki there to speak with Jorani the Whitesmith. Thanking her* brief acquaintance, Fubuki did just that.   Jorani was an energetic, buxom sort, and took time from her inspection of boxes to greet Fubuki. It seemed that the Black Blade's impressive collection of weapons had already caught her attention. Both professionals and connoisseurs of the blade, they wasted little small talk before Jorani was already showing Fubuki her latest creation. The dagger, glowing with an unearthly light, looked almost like tin to Fubuki's trained eye. Tin didn't glow like that, though. When she* admitted that she* didn't know what the thing was forged from, Jorani smugly proclaimed it to be tin. She'd developed a new technique for quenching tin blades that had earned her the title of "Whitesmith." Further, Jorani would be happy to teach Fubuki how to do it, if the other would bring some of the most difficult ingredient as payment. When asked what that might be, Jorani hesitated. It was, of course, Wamp blood. Fubuki might be able to buy it at the market, but the danger those creatures posed made their blood extremely expensive. Getting it from a Wamp was free, but Jorani cautioned Fubuki to be careful. A Wamp was nothing to be trifled with. Thanking the Whitesmith for her time and returning the dagger, Fubuki opened mental channels and informed Aotsuki and Yoshitakatomo that she* was on board for the Wamp-hunting expedition to Tyrhhia.   Soon after that, Yoshitakatomo and Fubuki had met back up with Aotsuki and his companions at Kravann's stall. Under the Princess-Daimyō's severe gaze, the Baharnan saleswoman was persuaded to let a bit more information about their task slip. Wamps were indeed incredibly dangerous. Likely the remnants of whatever doomed civilization had inhabited Tyrhhia, they were capable of making creatures bleed with their very presence. Indeed, there was only one person in Baharna who was known to be able to reliably slay a Wamp. Yoshitakatomo's curiosity was growing, then. To sweeten the deal, Kravann insinuated that she could give them information which would let them get to the rift they were looking for. It was out there on the ocean, so one could sail right to it, if one also was prepared to deal with an enormous blockade of Dylath-Leen vessels. Before anyone could pursue that further, Sonisay Wamp-Slayer arrived to bring them a short distance up to the spyglass for their audience with the Chieftan.   To say that Veasna the Elder was grateful would be a gross understatement. The Hashinara had not only returned to him his only daughter, but also twenty of his enslaved people, and slain all of the Black Galleon Slavers responsible. In doing, they had earned Veasna's allegiance in whatever matter they might have for visiting Baharna. Yoshitakatomo explained their goal, and received some valuable advice in response. The Caelestis Collegium, Veasna explained, were largely responsible for maintaining the rift on this side of the Veil of Sleep. A conglomerate of Dreamers, they took those not virtuous enough for the halls of Celephaïs or eccentric enough to wind up in opulent Oonai. The dross. That was what Veasna called them. Although they called themselves an institute of learning, the Collegium wielded knowledge only in exchange for power. It seemed increasingly likely that they were surreptitiously working with the Date Clan to keep the rift open, regardless of the damage it caused to both worlds.   In aid of their quest, Veasna granted the Hashinara official claim to the Black Galleon they had liberated. He also promised a crew and captain, calling upon a hearty-looking Baharnan with exotic dress and anchor in hand to join them. This man, Phiruna the Navigator, would take them wherever they wished, no matter the danger. Phiruna seemed on board with the idea and eager to get to sea. If they chose to go somewhere dangerous like the Cities of the Dreaming Moon or the Plateau of Leng, however, dealing with that danger would be on them. In addition, on Yoshitakatomo's request, Veasna agreed to arrange a dwelling for the Hashinara to use as their base while in Baharna, as well as free access to the Baharnan Library. Yoshitakatomo thanked him. They were, after all, still waiting on their other companions to join them.   Finally, the Chieftan's bodyguard was able to offer some advice for slaying Wamps. They did cause their victims to bleed just by their presence, Sonisay confirmed. She'd seen success by luring one away from the others and then slaying it before she was fully exsanguinated. There was no way to stop the effects of their aura that she was aware of. When Yoshitakatomo asked if the Wamps had any weaknesses they could exploit, Sonisay could only say that cutting their heads off usually worked for her. Phiruna, for his part, wanted nothing to do with the Ruins. He'd been out sailing on Yath before, and even hearing the song of the Wamps had caused him to bleed. Fubuki was reminded, oddly, of Tsukijō Hanahane saying much the same thing, but Jericho Petalwing apparently found Wamp-song beautiful.   With that, Yoshitakatomo thanked their host and he thanked them again in kind. A guide was arranged to take them to their new temporary lodgings, with the Black Galleon ready to sail under Phiruna whenever they wished.