Starter Quest
38th of Ymiden, Arc 718
Lighting struck and thunder crashed. The little sailboat was tipped and tossed in the huge waves. Suddenly the main mast snapped with a deafening crack. But this was not his ship. It was as though Nikhael watched the scene from afar, almost looking down on it.
A man struggled to regain control of the ship, wrestling for control of the rudder. But then the ship slammed into an unseen rock and a big chunk of the vessel broke off and was swept away by the waves. Still the man fought on savagely, now trying merely to get to shore. Nik recognized him for his biqaj eyes and tipped ears, and not only that, there was a soft golden glow about him.
The battered ship was taking in too much water. The biqaj seemed to realize this. Grabbing onto what was left of the mast, he leaped into the churning water. The remains of the sail slowed his progress but he seemed to remain afloat in the tossing waters.
But then the eerie presence of another being could be felt. Nikhael caught sight of a fin, a tail, and the sailor seemed unaware as he struggled for the shore. Just as the biqaj was gaining his footing on the rocky beach, there was a splashing of water and he suddenly disappeared underwater. The next moment he emerged, wrestling and fighting off the mer who had made him its prey. The biqaj was injured but he managed to get to shore as the mer slipped back into the water.
A voice like an echo sounded softly as the scene faded into watery darkness. “Go forth Nikhael, my favored is in danger. Remember your duty and look to the stars.”
Nikhael awoke in a cold sweat.
--
The dream had been vivid and even more so was the voice that spoke at the end. He recognized that voice. It was undoubtedly U’frek, and Nik felt a sudden shame for his lack of devotion to the god over the last several seasons.
His hammock swung gently with the morning’s lapping waves. The previous night has been restless as he and the boys attempted to sleep through the stormy weather in the sloop. Had he the coin, he would have rented a room at a tavern, but they instead had to make do with securing the ship to one of the docks and waiting it out.
Nikhael slipped quietly out of his hammock, not wanting to wake the boys. The dream, nightmare, vision, or gods know what, was still fresh in his memory. Was this real? Was it something U’frek had truly sent him? Or was he just fighting a guilty conscious?
The morning skies were still dark and many of the stars could still be seen. Taking a deep breath, he stood at the bow of the sloop, looked up at the dark sky and addressed his patron god.
“U’frek, I have been a poor replacement for Adelaida. For several seasons I have done wrong and have not done my duty to you as I had promised. Please, guide the way and I will do better this time. And better in future.”
For a moment, there was no sort of response. Nikhael’s ever present aura, a silvery glow around his body, momentarily brightened. As he kept his gaze into the night sky, it was as though his aura shot up into the sky and traced circles around certain constellations. A bear, a fish, and then a star he often associated with the northward direction. After holding the shimmery light for a moment, it vanished like a shooting star. Yet the brief flash held a direction to it: northeast, but mostly north.
It was then that he felt a strange urge to go in that direction, almost a magnetic force drawing him there. The astral display was still imprinted in his mind and he was certain that it had been a sign from U’frek. There was no dismissing it for a coincidental dream now. U’frek needed him.
--
Time was of the essence. Nikhael did not know how long the biqaj sailor was stranded without his ship, let alone how injured the poor man might be. Yet Nik also didn’t know how far the trip would take him or how long he would be out on the lake. Nikhael woke the boys early, who consequently grumbled at being unable to sleep in. He then planned out what supplies they would need. Water was a must, and some bandages if they could find some. Plus food for a few days. He could always top up the food with fish, but he might not get so lucky or the winds might change.
With two sleepy and grumbling six-arc olds in tow, Nikhael set out to find the nearest stall or market supplying food. Now that the weather had broken, there were a couple of carts already out trying to take advantage of the dry weather. He approached one, and began speaking urgently to a young woman who seemed to be managing it.
“I need hard biscuits or bread for traveling, fresh water, maybe fresh eggs if you have any, and enough to last a family several days on the lake.” Nik said and at first he forgot that the merchant might not speak Rakahi.
Realizing his mistake, he quickly added in Common, “Need food and water for four days, three people.”
Then to his two boys, he switched back to Rakahi and explained the situation. “Thanos, Ryder, there’s a biqaj sailor who needs our help. He’s stranded on the lake without a ship. He might be on the shore or on an island, but he’s injured and there’s a mer that tried to attack him. Daddy has to find him and help him.”
“Is this… is this what U’frek said?” Thanos asked with surprising intuition. Nik gave a nod.
38th of Ymiden, Arc 718
Lighting struck and thunder crashed. The little sailboat was tipped and tossed in the huge waves. Suddenly the main mast snapped with a deafening crack. But this was not his ship. It was as though Nikhael watched the scene from afar, almost looking down on it.
A man struggled to regain control of the ship, wrestling for control of the rudder. But then the ship slammed into an unseen rock and a big chunk of the vessel broke off and was swept away by the waves. Still the man fought on savagely, now trying merely to get to shore. Nik recognized him for his biqaj eyes and tipped ears, and not only that, there was a soft golden glow about him.
The battered ship was taking in too much water. The biqaj seemed to realize this. Grabbing onto what was left of the mast, he leaped into the churning water. The remains of the sail slowed his progress but he seemed to remain afloat in the tossing waters.
But then the eerie presence of another being could be felt. Nikhael caught sight of a fin, a tail, and the sailor seemed unaware as he struggled for the shore. Just as the biqaj was gaining his footing on the rocky beach, there was a splashing of water and he suddenly disappeared underwater. The next moment he emerged, wrestling and fighting off the mer who had made him its prey. The biqaj was injured but he managed to get to shore as the mer slipped back into the water.
A voice like an echo sounded softly as the scene faded into watery darkness. “Go forth Nikhael, my favored is in danger. Remember your duty and look to the stars.”
Nikhael awoke in a cold sweat.
--
The dream had been vivid and even more so was the voice that spoke at the end. He recognized that voice. It was undoubtedly U’frek, and Nik felt a sudden shame for his lack of devotion to the god over the last several seasons.
His hammock swung gently with the morning’s lapping waves. The previous night has been restless as he and the boys attempted to sleep through the stormy weather in the sloop. Had he the coin, he would have rented a room at a tavern, but they instead had to make do with securing the ship to one of the docks and waiting it out.
Nikhael slipped quietly out of his hammock, not wanting to wake the boys. The dream, nightmare, vision, or gods know what, was still fresh in his memory. Was this real? Was it something U’frek had truly sent him? Or was he just fighting a guilty conscious?
The morning skies were still dark and many of the stars could still be seen. Taking a deep breath, he stood at the bow of the sloop, looked up at the dark sky and addressed his patron god.
“U’frek, I have been a poor replacement for Adelaida. For several seasons I have done wrong and have not done my duty to you as I had promised. Please, guide the way and I will do better this time. And better in future.”
For a moment, there was no sort of response. Nikhael’s ever present aura, a silvery glow around his body, momentarily brightened. As he kept his gaze into the night sky, it was as though his aura shot up into the sky and traced circles around certain constellations. A bear, a fish, and then a star he often associated with the northward direction. After holding the shimmery light for a moment, it vanished like a shooting star. Yet the brief flash held a direction to it: northeast, but mostly north.
It was then that he felt a strange urge to go in that direction, almost a magnetic force drawing him there. The astral display was still imprinted in his mind and he was certain that it had been a sign from U’frek. There was no dismissing it for a coincidental dream now. U’frek needed him.
--
Time was of the essence. Nikhael did not know how long the biqaj sailor was stranded without his ship, let alone how injured the poor man might be. Yet Nik also didn’t know how far the trip would take him or how long he would be out on the lake. Nikhael woke the boys early, who consequently grumbled at being unable to sleep in. He then planned out what supplies they would need. Water was a must, and some bandages if they could find some. Plus food for a few days. He could always top up the food with fish, but he might not get so lucky or the winds might change.
With two sleepy and grumbling six-arc olds in tow, Nikhael set out to find the nearest stall or market supplying food. Now that the weather had broken, there were a couple of carts already out trying to take advantage of the dry weather. He approached one, and began speaking urgently to a young woman who seemed to be managing it.
“I need hard biscuits or bread for traveling, fresh water, maybe fresh eggs if you have any, and enough to last a family several days on the lake.” Nik said and at first he forgot that the merchant might not speak Rakahi.
Realizing his mistake, he quickly added in Common, “Need food and water for four days, three people.”
Then to his two boys, he switched back to Rakahi and explained the situation. “Thanos, Ryder, there’s a biqaj sailor who needs our help. He’s stranded on the lake without a ship. He might be on the shore or on an island, but he’s injured and there’s a mer that tried to attack him. Daddy has to find him and help him.”
“Is this… is this what U’frek said?” Thanos asked with surprising intuition. Nik gave a nod.
