Settled in

The rest of the day is spent getting the ship docked, and everyone off and settled in. It seems that quarters had already been built, obviously due to the seer. Though hardly luxurious, it’s better than sleeping on the boat, especially for the couples, who finally get some much needed privacy. As for yourself, you’re given what amounts to a surprisingly cozy cabin, with plenty of space for the three of you.

The small town seems to welcome you and your crew, despite the tense arrival. There’s a bit over a hundred living here, most of them young men and women, with only a few older, scarred and battle worn veterans being the exception. It’s explained to you that Melora and Victor founded this place a year or so ago, and that everyone here is running from the ‘justice’ of the Order. They are safe here mostly because the town is located in a rather remote area of the forest, and the fact that there’s not that many of them. With the loss of their only decent ship, they had become isolated.

They train and plan, and Victor keeps everyone busy. Work has even begun on a new ship, though with no true shipwrights, that project is slow. Melora keeps spirits high, assuring them that the Order could not find them. The defeat of their ship was a blow, especially since most of their recruits came from the prison ships. Even that became a mixed blessing though, as it allowed you to recover the charts which led you here.

Attitudes towards your arrival are muted, although Melora foresaw you as some kind of leader. There’s just not enough here to meaningfully harm the Order, and most seem more inclined to defend what they already have, rather than risk it for a potential future. However, there’s a spark of hope that seems to spread, especially from the older veterans, who remember the time before the Orders’s rule.

As evening falls, everyone heads off to bed, on land for the first time in weeks. As you lie down, with Ferra and Alex in your arms, your mind turns to the future, and how you can shape it. It’s a long, hard road, but you’ve taken the first step, and there’s no turning back now. In the fading light, you relax, and you smile.