"Lost Companions Found Again"

Log Date:
	3/13/02

Log Cast:
	Shelbor, Coralfire, Vardeus, Xhosa, Quietharm, Kephissa, Raven

Log Intro:
	At last, Vardeus has set out to do what his soul craves the most: 
discover the fate of the rest of his crew. Now that Raven of the Raft Elves
has offered him the use of her raft, the Captain has eagerly taken her up on
it; he and his young cabin boy Maerro have journeyed with their elfin
companion across the water to the mainland, after spreading the word to the
others on the island who had expressed their own interest in joining the
search. It's been a big party indeed that's landed, including Coralfire and
Quietharm, Quietharm's young son Kelp, Stormchaser, and even the former
Underworlder Shay'la... for all that Shay'la is vulnerable to the strength
of the sun, and deathly afraid of the water besides. 
	They've arrived on a beach that already has its own share of tents,
to boot: the camp of Kephissa and Valnek, and the camp of Shelbor and
Xhosa and the animals who travel with the young witch of the Olbar tribe. 
Vardeus and Maerro have barely noticed, needing to rest after the journey,
but now that they've caught up on their sleep they are all too eager to
be reunited with their crewmates and join in on the burst of activity that
has resulted from their party's landing....
	(OOC Note for Language Designations: We had a bit of uncertainty as
to who was speaking what language when in this log. (( )) designates the
Vraeyan language at all times. For Xhosa and Shelbor, the custom appears to
be < > for elfin, no marks for their own language. Other speakers, no
markers indicates elfin.)

----------
Shelbor feels uneasy. This is the most people he's seen at once in many days...

Yellow is dancing around, tail wagging frantically, excited by all the new 
  people.

Coralfire shakes her head. "Did Kephizza teach you her language?" she asks 
  Xhosa and Shelbor. Then she turns back to Quietharm. "This is my cousin 
  Xhosa and my friend Shelbor. But Kephizza is around. I think she's sleeping 
  too." The camp is just a little ways away, where the Raft set up, once 
  arriving ashore. It's evening, past sunset. She reaches a hand to the 
  near-wolf, seeing if she can calm him down. "I don't know if these two speak 
  ((Vraeyan))."
Shelbor says "Only a few words, so far."

Evening... and at last, after the journey over, Vardeus Alirreus rouses up 
  with a start. He can hear voices in the distance, and the captain of the 
  _Windrider_ emerges from the tent he and the boy Maerro have set up, to take 
  another long look at the new land to which he's come. Some ways away, there 
  down the beach... _there_. People. Quite a gathering, from the look of them, 
  as well.

Xhosa nods to Coral, having spent far long with Kephissa than poor old Shelbor 
  has. "Enough to be understood, at least. I won't be composing poetry in it, 
  but..." She shrugs. "She was building a raft to go get her captain, I think 
  she called him." She shrugs.

Quietharm stands among the cluster of humans like a sore thumb, her eyes 
  shifting from one face to the other, almost painfully slow. There is no 
  apprehension or hint of nervousness, no, she is merely inquisitive.

Coralfire shakes her head. "Then you might speak it better than I do, Xhosa. I 
  haven't had much time to learn." She sticks to Elf, cause she's more 
  comfortable in it. And besides, she was teaching Xhosa and Shelbor, back 
  before all this trouble started. see if they understand her or not.

Now _this_ is more like it. Animated by a sense of purpose he hasn't felt in 
  weeks, Vardeus squints off across the way through the gathering gloom of 
  evening and breaks into a loping stride to come closer. Some of the voices 
  are familiar -- and his own rings out, in what could pass for heavily 
  accented elfin. Or at the very least, heavily accented names: "Kyethaerm! 
  Coorelfair!"

Yellow approaches the wolf very tentatively, head and tail down, ears low. 
  Find out now to avoid a surprise later.

Silentstep extends his muzzle far enough to sniff cautiously at the strange 
  looking wolf, followed by a shake of his ruff and a guttural sound as he 
  backs away.

Yellow quickly retreats, satisfied there's no immediate threat.

Xhosa perks up at the sound of yet another someone. She peers at the man (ooh, 
  the very manly man!> heading her way. She looks at her cousin, then back at 
  Vardeus. "Is that this...captain?" She's beginning to think captain doesn't 
  mean chief after all. Hmmm. Her poor bear, who was just getting used to 
  being around people, has decided to hide behind her legs, her little nose 
  poking out curiously.

Xhosa
        Curious and bright-eyed, Xhosa is a woman of uncommon beauty. It's not 
  beauty in the refined, feminine, almost unattainable way of the rest of the 
  women in her family. Instead, Xo has an open, friendly and very earthy 
  quality about her. Her pale hair is long, pulled into a braid that falls to 
  her waist. Lots of time spent in the sun have left her with streaks of 
  burnished gold and skin the color of honey. A spiral has been painted on her 
  forehead in a shade of emerald that brings out her eyes. Her eyes are 
  flecked with speckles of silver and black that dance when she's excited or 
  angry, which is fairly often given Xo's passionate nature.
        She's dressed in a doe-suede halter top that loops around her neck and 
  is tied behind her back. It leaves her arms and sholders bare, making it 
  impossible to ignore the fact that she's far more muscular than most women. 
  The top is beaded, embellished with tiny wren feathers and glittery fish 
  scales. Xo's waist is bare, obscured only by the feathers that hang there. 
  Instead of a skirt, she wears a pair of men's leggings. They're make of 
  tanned buckskin and fit loosely to give her room to move. She also wears a 
  pair of leather hunting boots.

Quietharm turns to acknowledge Vardeus, and her face lights up, a smile 
  playing across her face, "Vardeus!!" She throws a half interested look off 
  toward Silentstep, who was currently patrolling the edge of the forest.

Vardeus(#108PXc2)
        Given his round ears and his five-fingered hands, this is clearly a 
  human man... but a distinctly strange-looking one. He stands taller than 
  many human warriors, with broad shoulders and well-muscled arms in 
  proportion to his sturdy frame, and although his face and form are heavily 
  bronzed by the Daystar, he is paler in shade than many of his kind. His eyes 
  are clear and blue as the Vastdeep Water beneath a summer sky. His hair, a 
  warm golden brown bleached yellow on top by the sun, is most often tied into 
  a small tail at the base of his neck; his beard goes with his hair, a short 
  scattering of whiskers that's just enough to soften the strong line of his 
  jaw. He speaks with a rich husky baritone, and in a rolling accent that 
  marks him as not of any known nearby land.
        He is clad in a motley array of garb that does not generally match 
  what a human might usually be expected to wear. Along with an undyed vest of 
  off-white and black pants which, upon close inspection, might be seen to 
  have been recently altered to fit him, he sports a heavy belt of well-oiled, 
  well-worn, metal-studded leather round his waist and leathern sandals on his 
  feet, with broad straps that wind up his calves just short of his knees over 
  the legs of his pants. On his belt, at either side, ride the matched sheaths 
  of a pair of iron daggers. At his right ear gleams a small golden earring, 
  and around his upper left arm, an armband of beaten gold.

Stormchaser looks about curiously, trying to remember if this was the same 
  place he had had his first hunt at.

Coralfire actually isn't all that happy being around large crowds, but she 
  shrugs it off. "Yes, it is." And if it's not chief, what is it then? But she 
  doesn't say anything about that. "Tides, Vardeuz. ((Hello.))" She's almost 
  got the accent right on the few words she does know, at any rate.

As he lopes up to join the group, Vardeus flashes an ocean-hued gaze this way 
  and that, noting faces he recognizes, faces he doesn't. Not a one of them is 
  Kephissa or Valnek, but at least for the time being, that's all right. It's 
  enough to know for now that his two crewmates are nearby -- and he'll be 
  demanding their reports soon enough. In the meantime he inclines his head to 
  the gathering at large; for the benefit of the elves, as well as Coralfire 
  whom he knows understands the word, he proffers forth a general greeting of 
  "Taydes". His version of the Raft Elves' greeting of 'Tides', perhaps. But 
  his attention does not miss the unfamiliar humans, either, and to Coralfire 
  he also adds, in elfin, gesturing to the other humans, "Coorelfair tribe?"

Quietharm levels a gaze at Stormchaser, a bit relieved to see another elf 
  around. She approaches Vardeus first, grinning for all the world like an 
  excited pip, "((How you doing? Good?))" Blinking guilessly up at the tall 
  man, she steps back to allow him better access to the other humans... as 
  well as evading the possibility of getting tread on.

Xhosa is thinking it means yummy, salty goodness, but doesn't say that. She 
  smiles at the new man, "Coralfire's family." She studies the man, nodding to 
  herself. She looks over at Shelbor, looking smug, speaking in her own 
  language. "Now, this....this is what the Sky Children sent us to find."

Coralfire nods her head, and she gestures to the various folks as she 
  introduces. "Xhosa. Shelbor. Vardeus. Quietharm. Stormchaser." With that 
  done, she's about to say something when Xhosa's words have her cheeks go a 
  little pink and she coughs, working to continue breathing. She glances back 
  towards Vardeus, actually glad she didn't teach him human.

Quietharm backs away a few steps from the throng of humans, settling down into 
  the sand. She falls silent, head still tilted back as she regards each of 
  them appraisingly.

"((I'm good, aye, Kyethaerm,))" Vardeus replies in a liquid flowing burst of 
  what must be his own language, and by way of punctuation, his mouth curls up 
  into a lopsided grin. Xhosa's words -- at least, the ones he can understand 
  -- as well as Coralfire's identifications get another firm nod from him, and 
  to everyone at large he announces, once again in the words of the elves, 
  jerking a thumb at his own chest, "I, Vardeus Alirreus."

Stormchaser waves at Vardeus, unable to speak his language, and preferring 
  sending to speaking.
Stormchaser watches the wolves curiously, still as fasinated with them as he 
  was when he arrived at the raft holt.

Shelbor examines Vardeus while trying not to be obvious about it. Even among 
  his own family, he's not used to seeing anyone so close to his size.

Silentstep keeps close to the line of brush, stalking the edge suspiciously 
  before he apparently gives up. The wolf sits back on his haunches, giving a 
  low whine.

Yellow's ears perk up at the whine.

Quietharm nods, a slight dip of her head as she affirms the recieving of 
  Vardeus' reply with a smile, "((Good))" She stretches out, completely at 
  ease in a setting she would have called dangerous and foolish a few turns 
  ago. Her head turns this way and that as she listens to the jumble of words 
  flying through the air. Some she understood, some not.

Kephissa and Valnek might not be awake -- but here are several new people that 
  can be questioned, and now that he's actually on the hunt again, Vardeus 
  does not hesitate to seize the opportunity to find out if _they_ have seen 
  any sign of any _others_ of his missing crew. To Quietharm and Coralfire, he 
  asks swiftly, keeping to elfin for the benefit of trying to be understood by 
  as many present as possible, "Elf words say here? I nae say Coorelfair 
  family words good, nae say huimin words. Need ask, these" -- and he gestures 
  at the others -- "see ((ship)), see ((crew))?"

Coralfire has to hide a yawn of her own, and she does so after she recovers 
  from her coughing fit. Must be allergic to something, yes that's it. "I'm 
  tired though. Maybe it is time to sleep. Oh - Xhosa knows where Khephizza 
  is." There, just in case any more trouble needed stirring up.

Silentstep lets his attention fall on the near wolf, obviously nonplussed. His 
  tail thumps the ground behind him rythmically as he idly licks his chops 
  with the end of his tongue.

Yellow moves back behind the bear. The wolf may not be hostile, but it's 
  obviously not currently friendly.

Stormchaser looks about for anything imediately interesting at the moment. 
  Finding nothing, he decides to explore this new place and begins to walk off 
  north.

Quietharm sighs, shaking her head at Vardeus. "I haven't seen Kephizza or 
  Valneck. ((No see crew or ship))"

Stormchaser heads towards North along the beach(N)
Stormchaser has left.

Xhosa looks at Vardeus and the elf. "Kephissa is here." She gestures to her 
  tent. "She's sleeping. We were trying to build a raft to go get you, but 
  apparently, you didn't need our help."

Shelbor tries to get the attention of the leader of the other humans. "(How 
  many more were with you?)"

Vardeus' eyebrows rise, and to Xhosa, he drawls in a tone that loses nothing 
  to the fact that his grasp on elfin is apparently crude at best, "I know 
  Kephissa here, I see; I see tent, her, Valnek sleep. I look more ((crew)) 
  now." His attention flashes to Shelbor, and his brows now knit together as 
  he tries to parse his way through the question. _That_ makes his expresssion 
  a troubled one, and he involuntarily glances out to sea before hauling a 
  breath into his sizeable chest and finally gruffly replying, "Three tens, 
  eight, when ((monster)) come, break ((ship)), ((ship)) sink."

Silentstep lays down in a near-comical sprawl of legs and paws. His eyes drift 
  shut while his ears casually flick off the occasional offending insect.

Coralfire settles down to watch and listen. She's not got much to add right 
  now, prefering to just watch most times. Unless it involves pulling down 
  prey. The huntress curls up a bit, not bothering to go find her tent. It's 
  more interesting here, anyway.

Xhosa mmms, looking Vardeus over, slowly walking around him. "<Kephissa didn't 
  tell me you were so....chiefly.>" She grins at that, meaning something 
  else, indeed. "<Don't worry about the rest of your...crew?...the Sky 
  Children lead me to you, they'll help us find them too.>"

Shelbor rolls his eyes at Xhosa. She's at it, again...

Quietharm lets a frown cross her features at all of this talk of Sky Children. 
  She feigns ignorance by letting her attention turn over to her bond friend, 
  still at the beginnings of the tree line.

Vardeus' gaze follows Xhosa; he's seen this routine before, with the elves 
  walking circles around him and giving him the once-over. For that matter... 
  he's seen looks like that on the faces of maidens back home. "I 
  ((captain))," he points out steadily to the young woman, then. Under any 
  other circumstances, he might let himself be amused by her blatant staring, 
  but he's got other things on his mind now that he's finally _doing_ 
  something again! "I find ((crew)) because ((captain)). I nae know Skae 
  Childrin, Skae Childrin hilp, they go with I, look more tomorrow."

Xhosa laughs at that. "<The Sky Children go with you?>" She laughs, shaking 
  her head, waaaaaay amused by /that/ one. "A man cannot command the Sky 
  Children!>"

Shelbor considers this for a while, thoughtfully chewing his lip. "(Did you 
  see long streaks of fire cross the sky, a Turn and more ago?)"

Quietharm finally makes the move to stand straight up, glowering sulkily at 
  the humans, "Sky Children? What are these Sky Children?" One foot taps 
  impatiently at the sand as she awaits any response that may be provided.

Shelbor says "(That is what Xhosa and some others think the fire streaks in 
  sky were.)"

Well, as far as Vardeus is concerned, all _he_ needs to command is his crew. 
  As soon as he finds them, that is, and assuming that they're not all going 
  to want to dunk him right back in the ocean after all the trouble they've 
  suffered on this doomed voyage. He isn't entirely sure of some of Xhosa's 
  words, nor of Shelbor's, but he finally manages to catch enough of the gist 
  to shake his tousled head. "Nae; I nae see fire in sky."

Xhosa hmps at Shelbor. "Not think, /know/." She glares at him. He isn't going 
  to start questioning her again, is he? This is becoming unacceptable. "<What 
  do you know about the gods, Shelbor? I told you the Sky Children were 
  leading us here. Do you doubt me? After all we have seen and what we have 
  found?>"

Shelbor shrugs. Theology isn't his strong point, and only a minor interest.

Shelbor
        Shelbor is in his middle twenties, tall and broad and fairly muscular, 
  with a full beard. He has dark brown eyes, and untidy, dark brown hair with 
  a hint of curl. His beard is a lighter brown with a hint of red and no curl. 
  He is obviously fit, and dressed simply but appropriately for the 
  conditions. He carries a heavy spear which does double service as a walking 
  stick, and has an unstrung bow in a quiver on his back. His belt holds a 
  pouch and a chert knife.
Carrying:
Piece of Preserver Cocoon
Amber Necklace

Quietharm throws looks back and forth between Xhosa and Shelbor, lifting one 
  eyebrow, "Sky Children? Fire in the sky?" She waves them off, chuckling to 
  herself. She hadn't come to witness this spectacle that night, so naturally 
  she had no idea of what they were talking about.

Astronomical events aren't unheard of to Vardeus -- a man can see a lot in the 
  sky when he's at sea, after all. But even if the Skyfather might have been 
  active on some night in the recent past, enough that those who dwell in this 
  strange land are still speaking of it, the Vraeyan captain can't really 
  bring himself to be concerned with it too intently. What _does_ concern him 
  is exploration, and his attention diverts for a moment or two as the others 
  speak of the 'Skae Childrin', that sharp gaze of his taking in everything he 
  can see of the beach, the campsites, the wolf and the dog interacting with 
  one another. The dog prompts a passing grin out of him, and for just a 
  moment, his eyes turn wistful. A _dog_. When was the last time he'd seen a 
  _dog_?

Xhosa shrugs at Shelbor. Well, he's just a heathern hunter anyway. She turns 
  back to Vardeus, looking at him curiously. "<I told Kephissa I would take 
  you all back to our village. It's a long way from here, but you'll be amoung 
  your own people again.>"

Impatient and hesitant to just sit around, Kephissa has been spending her own 
  time exploring, looking for any sign that any of her crewmembers survived. 
  But all she's found is bits and pieces that may have broken off the 
  Windrider, but no sign of the ship or the majority of her crew. Now she 
  returns to what is starting to become a semi-permanent campsite on the 
  beach. But wait, is that...

Quietharm catches the little looks Vardeus was giving the animal near her 
  wolf. She stares up at him guillessly, a little uncertain of what his 
  attention was so engrossed with, "Vardeus..?" A new movement catches her 
  eye, and she turns, startled. Was that...? She walks forward a few faces, 
  squinting her eyes.

Vardeus doesn't manage to catch Quietharm's bid for his attention, for _his_ 
  is claimed anew by Xhosa, and what he thought was something she's said about 
  taking him somewhere? "Where Zo-sa go?" he asks then, eyes narrowing just a 
  touch as he has to apply himself to gleaning meaning out of her words. "I 
  nae go, nae -- find ((crew)) first." He gestures up and down the beach with 
  a big bronzed hand, adding intently, "Search beach. Much beach."

Xhosa nods. "<Oh, yes. Of course. We'll find all your people first.>" She 
  smiles brightly. "<Then, I'll take you all back home. It's very nice there. 
  Lots of food, lots of people.>" She stops for a moment, suddenly remember. 
  "<OH! But, we have to stop on the way to catch some more horses...>"

It is! It is Vardeus! Unless Xhosa has a friend she hasn't met who has the 
  exact same build and stance as the Captain. He managed to make it over to 
  this beach before Kephissa could arrange to go find him on whatever island 
  he was. She starts running full tilt down the beach. "VARDEUS!" She calls, 
  pure joy in her voice.

For the first time in her life, Quietharm found unhappiness in being short. 
  This had never been a concern before, as she was at least a head over most 
  of her tribesmates. If only she could be a -bit- taller, like them. She 
  sighed, kicking at a mound of sand before returning back to trying to 
  distinguish that figure approaching from down the beach. When she calls out, 
  Quietharm bursts into a smile, "Kephizza?!"

Vardeus jolts as if he's been struck by an arrow -- and immediately pivots 
  around, astonishment and joy flooding across his features. "KEPHISSA!" he 
  roars back, the first brilliant smile he's worn in more days than he can 
  remember suddenly igniting into being with that joy. "KEPHISSA!"

Raven comes from the south.
Raven has arrived.

Kephissa definately knows that roar. Its the best thing she's heard in months. 
  She does a little leap/skip as she runs. Definately perked up her mood. But 
  she saves her breath until she reaches the captain and throws her arms 
  around him in an exuberhent hug. Okay, those might be a few tears in her 
  eyes, but mostly she's too out of breath and speechless with joy to say 
  anything.

Quietharm clasps her fingers together tightly, beyond happiness to finally see 
  the reunion of Vardeus and Kephizza. She lets herself fade into the 
  background somewhat, another happy face among the many.

Come to think of it, Vardeus has crossed the remaining distance between 
  himself and his crewmate now, beaming so giddily that he looks almost like a 
  boy, and seizing the new arrival in as enthusiastic a hug as she gives him. 
  He starts to burst out, in the elf words, "Is good see--!" And then he 
  catches himself, laughing out loud, another thing he hasn't done in 
  countless days... and in fact, has done rarely if at all ever since the 
  _Windrider_ left Shalros. Switching to his own tongue, he cries, 
  "((SKYFATHER but it's good to see you! Gods, I've been saying the words of 
  these Little People for so long I've almost forgotten how to talk properly 
  -- you're alive -- praise Andros!))

Xhosa cocks her head, listening to that little outburst. "<<Skyfather?>>" She 
  says that curiously. Skyfather. Skyfather. Sounds like a god to her. They 
  can't be all bad if they've got gods. She grins at Kephissa. "Does this mean 
  we don't need the raft?"

Quietharm gleans the meaning of much of the words spoken in Vraeyan, although 
  a few significant ones elude her comphrehension. She still has a silly smile 
  plastered to her face, and her hands extend behind her to prop up her 
  weight. She is the picture of ideallyic cheerfullness, content to just watch 
  the reunion.

Kephissa catches her breath as much as she can while being hugged 
  enthusiastically. Not that she looks like she minds. Uncaring of the tears 
  running down her face she laughs herself. "((Seamother be praised. I never 
  thought I'd see you again. But you were supposed to wait. We were building a 
  raft!))" She looks around at the half finished remains of the raft they were 
  building.

Vardeus' voice rumbles with further laughter, and he's seen that raft, too. 
  "((Ach, Keph, ye know me, I'm an impatient man! Once the Little People put 
  me back together, I was after bustin' again if you and Valnek didn't get 
  here soon... so they got us here!))" He takes Kephissa by the shoulders, 
  then, sweeping his gaze up and down here, studying her anxiously, his 
  Shalros accent thickening his words as it's always done every time his 
  emotions are high. "((Ye're all right then, and Valnek?))"

Raven, having been busy finding and setting up her rather large tent, wanders 
  toward all of the commotion on the beach. She pauses at the edge of the 
  firelight watching the scene before her before she smiles and pads over 
  toward Quietharm to take a seat in the sand. She glances over at the only 
  other elf in the current group and sends so as not to disturb what is 
  obviously a joyful reunion, **It is good to see him smile. I don't think he 
  has truly done so since he washed up on the island.**

Quietharm swivels her head around to regard Raven amiably, ** He was in ruins. 
  I am glad he found some of his... crew.. perhaps he shall find more, yet. ** 
  She flourishes a small smile at the other elf before refixating her focus on 
  the two hugging humans before her.

Kephissa is doing her own examination. The Captain sure looks hale and hearty, 
  if a bit ragged around the edges. "((I'm fine. Got pulled out of the water 
  by the Little People.))" Using Vardeus's word for the elves. "((Just a knock 
  on the head and a whole lot of swallowed seawater. Valnek was out of it for 
  a while, but he's been up and about a bit now. I think he's off looking for 
  food now.))"

Oblivious to the pleased and silent exchange between the elves, Vardeus beams 
  down at Kephissa, nodding vigorously. "((Good, good; the boy's fine, I'm 
  fine, now. Better, with more of us back together.))" He pauses, then, 
  something of his joy dimming down a bit, eclipsed by the urgency of the one 
  purpose that's let him keep a grip on his sanity these last many weeks. 
  "((Ye've nae seen any o' the others? And...))" Now, his heart seems to rise 
  up right into his eyes, as he recollects what Quietharm reported to him 
  about the ship. His voice turns husky, as he insists, "((Ye've got t' tell 
  me. The _Windrider_. Is... it true, she went down?))"

Quietharm silently listens in on the string of Vraeyan, frowning now and again 
  as she struggles to keep up.

Raven watches the exchange between the two humans, keeping quiet for the 
  moment. Time enough for the question she's dying to ask once the greetings 
  are finished.

Kephissa's relief at finding Vardeus is so keen and bright that it will be a 
  while before its completely dimmed, but it does dampen a bit at thoughts of 
  the rest of the crew and the ship which had been their home. She shakes her 
  head, "((No signs of any of the crew. Just the locals.))" She guestures 
  around at the elves and humans nearby. "((And of the ship I've found bits 
  and pieces that have broken off. I didn't see, but I can only assume it went 
  down...that that thing sunk it.))"

Quietharm bears a dark expression at the mention of the ship. It had pained 
  Vardeus when she had first conveyed this news to him from Kephissa, and she 
  was betting it wouldn't go over very well now, either. With a fretted look 
  to Raven and then back to the two humans, she keeps up the shroud of silence.

Vardeus hauls another deep breath into his lungs, trying to steady himself as 
  he gets the confirmation of what Quietharm had relayed to him. More or less, 
  he succeeds... at least, if one doesn't look at his eyes and see the 
  momentary flash of lostness there. "((Well,))" he breathes out then, 
  roughly, "((guess it's for searchin' a bit further, maybe findin' from the 
  Little People and the locals like us if any word's come o' any o' the rest 
  of us. That is... if ye an' Valnek're still with me.))"

After all this time he has to ask. "((Captain, I'd follow you to the 
  underworld to rescue everybody if I have too.))" Kephissa nods emphatically. 
  "((And if we survived maybe others did too, just washed up on a different 
  beach.)) She looks around at her own little beach. "((Once I knew that the 
  Little People had found you I didn't want to venture to far to search until 
  we were together again.))"

Raven listens to the humans and notes that their conversation, though 
  apparently painful for Vardoos a moment ago, seems to be calming. She gets 
  to her feet and moves over toward the two with a small smile on her face. 
  Once beside the tall captain, she taps his arm to get his attention.

Quietharm watches Raven rise, an inquisitive expression on her countenance. 
  Nevertheless, she remains where she is, content to watch.

Well, hey; Vardeus has been feeling a little insecure as of late. Well, all 
  right, a _lot_ insecure -- not that he's about to admit it. But to hear that 
  vocal affirmation of loyalty from at least one member of his lost crew does 
  him quite a bit of good, lightening his eyes and letting him smile again, 
  crookedly. And it's then that Raven's approach distracts him. Glancing down 
  at her, he asks her, "((Aye)), Raven?" And to Kephissa he adds, gesturing to 
  the small she-elf, "((This is Raven; she found me an' Maerro where we washed 
  up. She's shared her tent with us, and she an' th' other, Kyethaerm, have 
  been teachin' me their words. I ain't good at their speakin', but I'm 
  managin', I guess...!))"

Kephissa smiles at Raven. She's still a bit too overwhelmed to try stringing 
  many elven words together, but she does manage a "Thank you, Raven", with a 
  bit of a cheerful grimice at her probably butchering the language. To 
  Vardeus. "((I've mostly been teaching Kyetherm and Xhosa our language. I've 
  picked up some of the two languages they speak, but its hard to keep it all 
  straight. Where's Arnos when you need him.))"

Quietharm cants her head to one side, examining the others from her vantage 
  point. She sighs slightly, bowing her head to her chest as she watches the 
  grains of sand fall through the spaces in her closed fists.

Raven smiles at the much taller female as she's introduced.. at least she 
  thinks that's what's going on. She tips her head as she studies the human 
  woman for a second then asks in her best Vraeyan, which really isn't very 
  good at all, "((This Teeana?))" she asks then offers a sympathetic shrug to 
  the female human since neither seems to be terribly remarkable at speaking 
  the other's language.

About to gesture to Quietharm to encourage her into the conversation as well 
  and linguistic difficulties be damned, Vardeus blinks at the question from 
  Raven. And for no apparent reason, that entirely innocuous question brings 
  the strangest of expressions across his face; he looks almost... sheepish. 
  And is that a blush tinging his cheeks? "Nae," he mutters gruffly down at 
  Raven, shaking his head. "Nae Tiana. Is Kephissa."

Quietharm finally stands slowly and in increments, brushing herself off. Her 
  hands come to rest at her hips as she shifts her weight over to one foot. 
  Her gaze regards each and every individual for a weighty expanse of time. 
  Her expression, still impassive, comes to rest on Vardeus, last.

Kephissa looks sidelong at Vardeus and grins. Now why would these strangers 
  mistake her for Tiana? Although her cousin is second in command, and a basic 
  description could cover both women. And the captain's sheepish look, maybe 
  there was hope after all. Of course its a little late now. Anyways enough of 
  that. Kephissa turns to Raven and nods, reinforcing Vardeus's introduction 
  by pointing at herself and repeating her name. "Kephissa."

Raven's brows arch a bit but she offers her own sheepish smile as she tries to 
  master the new name, "((Kef...Kefizza.))" Okay, she stumbled a bit and the 
  pronunciation isn't exactly perfect but, at least she tries. She glances 
  over at Quietharm sending to her, **High Ones! Do they all have such tongue 
  twisting names???**

Inwardly winging a prayer of gratitude to Andros Skyfather that Raven didn't 
  ask anything more dangerous about Tiana -- he's _still_ not entirely certain 
  how or why she got the idea into her head that he has something for the 
  woman, and he's deeply bothered by the possibility that he'd been calling 
  out to her in his slumber -- Vardeus greets the exchange of names with 
  heartfelt relief. "((Aye), Kephissa," he encourages Raven, smiling a trifle 
  wanly. "She ((crew)). Kephissa make ropes."

Quietharm registers Raven's send by an arching brow, ** I'm sure the blade 
  cuts both ways. ** A small smile, and then she backs away, throwing a vacant 
  look to the trees behind them. ** I should go find some food for them. They 
  still look a bit emaciated. ** To Kephissa and Vardeus, she announces, "((I 
  go find food for you, now. I return soon.))" With a quick wave over her 
  shoulder, she heads off towards the woods.

Raven looks over at Quietharm and is nodding before the other has even spoken. 
  She turns back to smile at Vardeus and Kephissa. "I have the tent up and 
  Mayro went straight to sleep." she says with a bit of a giggle.

Indeed, Quietharm's supposition that the humans are having just as much of a 
  time with elf names as the Little People are theirs is accurate. Kephissa 
  makes another face, trying the name 'Raven' once again, even as a cry from 
  the Vraeyan tents rises up: Maerro, and Valnek, having their own small 
  reunion. The boy might have gone straight to sleep, but it seems he's waking 
  up _now_. Vardeus turns his head, smiling a bit as he hears the cry of the 
  boy, and to Kephissa, he asks, "((Go to 'em, aye? We've got to talk, the 
  four of us, and make our plans. I'm after needin' ye and Valnek t' tell me 
  how far ye've searched, and we'll go from there.))"

"((Aye, Captain!))" And with that, looking quite pleased to have been able to 
  utter those words again, Kephissa hurries off with a nod of farewell to the 
  she-elf as she goes.

Raven watches at Kephissa moves off in the direction she had recently come 
  from. She then turns to Vardeus and tips her head to the side, though the 
  movement isn't birdlike, it is more akin to the movement of a wolf when 
  studying something it's not quite certain of. "You will search for the rest 
  of your ((crew))?" she asks finally.

Alone, now, Vardeus turns and looks down at Raven again... and nods earnestly. 
  "((Aye))." With that, he kneels, the better to converse with the she-elf; 
  it's better, he finds, if he can look those of her kind in the eye, while 
  talking. "I talk with Kephissa, Valnek, Maerro. We ((crew)). Is like tribe. 
  We" -- he gestures roundly, indicating himself and the other Vraeyans -- 
  "talk, say what we do. I think, go along beach, look for ((crew))." He 
  stops, then, face falling, and he concludes in a distant-eyed whisper, "Look 
  for ((ship)) pieces."

Raven has never met the human captain's gaze for more than a few seconds at 
  any given time. Except for the times when she has gently challenged him to 
  search his feelings for a certain woman she has yet to meet. She nods her 
  head and her emerald gaze shifts to meet his for those few seconds, "I will 
  go with you and help you look for your ((crew)).. and your ((ship))." She 
  says then.

And with that, again, Vardeus smiles. It's coming easier to him now that he's 
  seen two of his crew with his own eyes... suggesting that perhaps, usually, 
  that countenance of his eyes might once have borne smiles readily and often. 
  "I glad," says he. "You friend, we... new here. Strange here. You know big 
  land?" And his hand gestures again, expansively, encompassing all of the 
  beach in sight as well as the area in general.

Raven nods her head, "Yes. I have traveled much of the big land before Redtide 
  found me," she replies and looks toward the trees. "There is a river not far 
  from here..." as she speaks, her voice and gaze become a bit distant as if 
  she is having to really dig for memory here, "There is a vast plain on the 
  other side of that and another holt there.. Then there is the LostHolt where 
  the kinseeker dwells... There is an entrance to the Underworld not far from 
  there.. and.." She turns her gaze toward the south, "..in that direction is 
  the land of golden light where the Sun Folk live.. and much, much further is 
  the home of the catelves.. that is another forest but, it is not like any I 
  have ever seen before." She finishes speaking and gives herself a bit of a 
  shake as if coming back to reality.

"More elfs on big land?" Vardeus considers, shifting position and sitting down 
  at last on the sand, thinking hard. He listens to that litany of names he 
  does not know, quirking his head, frowning a bit at the unfamiliar words. 
  And then he adds, "You know where more elfs? We go, talk? Ask if elfs see 
  ((crew)), see ((ship))?"

Raven nods slowly then and turns back to smile at you, "Oh yes! There are many 
  elves on the big land," she replies. She chuckles softly then, "We could ask 
  them all to help if you like.. though I would not expect help from every 
  corner. Some are not.. as open.. to helping as others." She has to pause to 
  find a word that might suit there.

"Because I huimin," Vardeus guesses, studying Raven's expression intently. 
  Crude though his grasp of the elfin tongue may remain, the captain hasn't 
  forgotten what he's managed to learn about the general state of things 
  between people like Raven's... and people like his.

Raven nods again, "Yes. Some may change their minds if given the chance to 
  know you.. others.. may choose to just ignore your plight, while others will 
  actively oppose anything remotely close to helping you."

"Some elfs throw arrows, see I?" Vardeus' mouth twists, though there lingers 
  in his voice a bit of sardonic humor, to show he's following more of those 
  words than he can easily say himself, by now. And he tilts his head a bit, 
  even as he leaps agilely to his feet again, starting to pace a bit as he 
  ponders aoud. "You tell I, what elfs nae like huimins, see huimins, try 
  kill?"

Raven nods her head, "If I can tell which ones.. It is like our tribe.. Most 
  of us speak openly with you but, Redtide.. have you seen him even once?" she 
  asks.

[We stopped here, as Vardeus's player had begun to fade. End log.]