Chat with the Silver Hunters

Besides the fact that he has remained unnoticed in the shadows until now, the figure who appears stands out from the rest. Perhaps it's the more conservative attire, or it's the fact that Captain Silver seems to have made one specific exception to her otherwise women-only crew, or it's something else entirely that you can't quite explain, but there's something strange about this boy. Hardly more than his eyes are visible, and it's a cold gaze--one always watching, though hardly speaking, as if to judge every movement you make, and every word you speak.

Slim legs are covered entirely in black, including his boots, though much of his body is concealed by a large, dark jacket with subtle, thin gold trimming of lines into swirls. His hat appears a bit oversized, and it looks most similar to some sort of military captain's hat. Similar to what Snow wears, a tight mask conceals the bottom half of his face. All you can see are chestnut eyes and a few visible bangs of pale blue hair extending down from the brim of his cap. While a number of things could be hidden from rabbit ears to horns to anything else, he appears human, though by the shade and shape of what you can see, he may hail from a place you haven't been. You aren't sure.

Captain Silver puts a firm hand on his back. "Xue is the silent type. And don't worry. I know what you're thinking. One boy on a crew of all beautiful women? He's not interested in that. In fact, he's the only one aboard the ship who isn't into girls I think. If he's into anyone at all. Though he doesn't admit it, I think he's just picky--"

"Stop that," speaks the silent one at last. His voice is softer than you expected, and it's quiet still. He then stares at you intently. "I don't mean to be rude. I just don't know these people." There's the slightest hint of an accent--one that's too subtle to place. If you had to guess, he might come from a place in this world that's somewhat similar to countries in East Asia, if the name wasn't already enough to tip you off. That being said, you don't really know. You're just guessing.

"Your caution is what keeps us safe, my trusty First Mate. Now let's get down to business."

Xue sits down on a wooden chair with hands upon his lap. Both are concealed by gloves. There's a fine, silver stitching on the back of each one, both of a simple shape that resembles a snowflake. Another crew member lays a map down upon a second, much wider stump than the one which previously held up Silver's wonderful rump, and while Bek and the half-orc are still busy smacking each other around a distance away, the others all gather around to decide what's next.

Captain Silver bends over, quite generously right across from you, and smacks her hand down upon the map. She grins wide. "Thunderbeard," she says.

If she wasn't paying full attention before, Vyzia is now watching intently. She crosses her arms across her large, naked chest, and observes the planning with ease from over the heads of others. Though she isn't a giant, as she isn't an oni, she's easily defeats all those present in the contest of height, even if by a smaller degree for some.

The others are of course ready as well. Niki, Eva, and Amara are your original questing party. They're prepared for any adventure, especially after all you've been through. Lalarin of course wouldn't miss busting a villain for anything. Lynx and Snow, your trusty spies, are loyal to the end. Dixby may be a chaotic gnome, but she's likely eager to try her potions either on the enemy or her allies in the battle to come. Malakae likely only wishes to show off her power, especially after feeling a bit threatened by the coming of another dragon. Stax, as the previous leader of a whole band of monsters, can't let Thunderbeard go after hearing about the ship that crashed on Vyzia's island of humanoid cargo. Fava not only wants to maintain this airship you've taken, but improve it, and perhaps learn even more from a place one came from. Though all in all, all present are ready to bust the skull of an infamous slaver.

"Four days travel, straight northeast, if the seas are forgiving," Captain Silver begins. "Unlike this one, his base of operations can't be missed. The first thing you'll see from a distance is a floating island high in the sky. It hangs above the mainland, which is in itself dangerous. This is what makes it so difficult to attack him directly. First we'll have to brave the first island, and then traverse up to the one above."

"Can't we fly?" Fava asks with a hand in the air.

"Good question. Yes, though we'd be sitting ducks. Not only would we probably be shot down before getting near enough to land, but there's a special power that protects the entire place, all because of an agreement he has with the inhabitants of the island his home hovers above."

"Me next!" Eva shouts, raising two hands instead for some reason. "If he lives on the island that's flying, how do we get up there, even if we dock on the mainland?"

"Another good question. We know that because his entire fleet isn't airships. He may only have one or two. Much of his criminal empire is made up of your run of the mill pirates. There's a base down at sea level, so they must have a way to get to the top, whether it's a magic portal, a gravity beam, or just a really long rope." She pulls herself up and gives her blouse a tug back into place. "The primary obstacle is actually nature of the island itself. The main one we'll have to trek through. See it's ruled over by two empresses, and they've forever transformed the environment into one near uninhabitable. Both hot and cold. Xue once called it the Microwave."

"... The what?" you ask.

Xue tugs down on the brim of his hat. "It's just a word I heard long ago. The actual name is the Isle of Cryonition."

"Are you all ready for a history lesson?" Silver asks. "Gather around, because the only way I'm gonna be convinced to repeat anything is to hand me another drink and give me a kiss on the lips."