As the naga had arrived, they would also soon note that numerous other vessel were around them. While the hazmat suits in question did some strange hand gestures. After that was done, the large metal beast started moving ahead - the gestures made were 'human' strangely enough. Namely, it meant a similar way of 'follow'. As it was, they seemed to be heading towards the nearby island, that was off the coast - a usual location, that other sea trades interacted with other naga merchants upon.
The naga while hesitant at first, followed or rather rode along with the "humans". While the others who were not on board were doing their best to come along with the iron vessel and the strange yellow dressed team on top. The serpetine creatures or what was safely assumed was the warrior caste of the race remained vigilant. Eyeing the team and closely guarding the representative while leaving the pack to explore the ship. The fish people that were allowed to wander were touching or rather feeling the vessel feeling the strange architecture and material these "humans" had.
Though most of them sounded awed of how they could make this ship function and if this ship was indeed designed to sink rather than float which most of them found it quite strange, or how such a ship could exist in the first place. The representative kept on speaking, with some of the sentences ending with a nod to her race, while her bodyguards seem to have an strange purplish gas that oozing from their mouths. While the ride along was indeed strange, other than an awkward stare with some of them their was no trouble - until the ships sonar caught whips of something large approaching from the depths. While at first it was only one, an addition of two suddenly popped out of nowhere. Soon, the oceans inhabitants became noisier or in distress trying to warn them of an danger from the ocean.
The people on the top soon enough evacuated inside, or rather ran inside. Soon enough, they were replaced by warriors themselves - as the naga could easily tell by their body language and how they moved. Namely they carried much different weaponry, then what they possessed and they seemed, much more heavily armored than even some of her naga.
Then the representative saw something, that might make her question what she was seeing. As walking among the warriors was a human female, namely as armored as they were and having a strange glowing thing in front of her eyes. As she soon enough, yelled something in her native tongue - and soon enough, the warriors kneeled down, pointed their weapons and started firing. The initial shock of a shot, might've sounded like something had struck lightning - but it was soon replaced by a gentle thud, as the ears of the naga would adapt.
Although, that didn't do much - until they simple switching to something else. Namely, the warriors soon enough locked their weapons behind their backs and jumped into the waters - their arms crossed in front of them. The female leader also pulling something over her mouth, before she also jumped in. Despite this, they didn't sink to the bottom at all - instead having bubbles streaming from behind them - that allowed them to move through the water as swiftly as a naga. The metal vessel too submerged, then as the leviathans got closer - the vessel spit out two javelins from its 'mouth'.
They seemed small and tiny compared to the large leviathans approaching, yet the naga representative would witness some...bubble explosion in the far distance....which SCARED away the leviathans. The show of force was enough to tell her that these 'humans' were more then just humans. As they easily scared two leviathans away without having to sacrifice or kill it, and the gear and weapons they had was a clear indication that these people had more than their fair share of combat. She sighed, she wanted to know more or observe them more but, due to not knowing their language, though that it wouldn't even matter regardless as the moderns were using a language unknown to this world.
---
While they were safe for now, a few of the other ships that decided to follow the Atlanis Group vessels weren't - as a large whale with sharp pointy teeth collided with a ship. Penetrating its hull, quickly flooding the lower quarters of the ship, while at the same time sending most of the men on top to the open ocean. The creature was massive with one big chomp, ripping through the ships hull once more as it started to sink. Its escorts doing their its best to protect the ship but, to no avail as its guns had barely penetrated its hide being simple mounted machine-guns only.
The creature, after taking another bite quickly submerged, leaving a large bloody stain on the sea - as its meal was made of sharp iron and steel. Enough to ruin its stomach and internal organs in one swoops making it bleed out in a matter of seconds before dying due to the amount of blood loss.
For the humans, this had been a show of failure, since they had lost a vessel and people - that wasn't a victory to the humans, thus the large cannons that had been attached to the ships soon enough were put on alert. As the naga leader, could see JUST how large they were. Many times larger than any cannon the dwarves had constructed or the elves had 'formed' into existence. Plus they kept circling the ships - all five of them from one direction to the other, in a perfect formation. Machinery operated, that would make a dwarf blush with envy.
While the soldiers that had submerged with them, soon enough simply swam along - namely utilizing their 'bubble-packs' to namely increase their speeds to even faster than a regular naga at that. As they soon enough reached the small stretch of land in the wide sea - before land. The soldiery in question stepping onto the land and quickly forming up. As she could see, just how advanced and efficient they were. Even after spending time in the water, their armor simply had the water slide off like nothing - nobody appearing affected at all. As even the female would step onto the land, having experienced no ill affect.
Carrying on themselves, advanced techno-sorcery, that seemed to make a mockery of anything the elves, dwarves or both combined could imagine and...all of which were commanded by humans. Once thought the most primitive people on Titania and here the naga representative had to stare face to face with someone - who had a literal visor in front of her eyes.
---
Once, they have entered land, the warrior caste and the assumed royalty made their way into the meeting point. The serpetine warriors rushing to meet with these strangely clad warriors. They examined them, the helmets and armors they wore, were of nothing they have seen before in battle or in their lifetime on this world. They looked constantly, back and worth spewing the strange purple cloud from their mouths as the representative made her way to meet the human with the unknown object attached to her head.
She bowed down to show her respect viewing the one with the face covering as someone of great importance, as was custom to dress up fancy to appear the important. Before she stood out to speak but, now with body gestures to emphasize and try to create a bridge for the two to communicate or form an understanding between the two. Though the first few moves did nothing with the very large language barrier the two had to cross, the next set made somewhat of a loose connection as she summoned one of her people which seems to be carrying a large basket full of strange fishes that came with all shapes, colors, and sizes.
She pointed to her mouth, suggesting or implementing to her to take a taste or that it is food. While the servant wasn't ordered to, she placed the ceramic bowl in front of them before bowing and taking to the sides. The fishes on the basket was still alive. Jumping and thrashing about as they try their best to get back to home.
The woman in question looked strangely at the strange bowl of fishes. Namely, they could much easily do with a glass one instead - since in this way, the things seemed rather cramped up. Although, they would be very interesting a sight for some of the scientists. Although, when showed the gesture of eating, it seemed a bit too much at that. Nevertheless, she attempted to remain cordial and accepting - since they had just got here and discovered sentient lifeform. As she did pick up one that seemed to be jiggling in her grasp and then put it in her mouth. That idea wasn't the best, as she immediately became ill once her tongue made contact with the fish - likely breaking the rule of 'not eating anything, unless tested and sterilized'.
As for the naga, they saw the 'human' take one fish in her mouth, assuming that was the gesture - before immediately looking ill and thrashing about in place. Eventually, that was followed by one of their own soldiers, simply hitting her on the back and causing the fish in her mouth to get free and back into the water. While she had a face, that spoke of disgust and displeasure - and rubbing her tongue against her hand.
The representative looked in awe or rather in curiosity with the action of the human female as she attempted to swallow the fish whole. As most of the humans she saw or rather most of the creatures of the land had never eaten fish whole before - or at least cooked them first. She realized her mistake as she failed to explain the fact that you have to prepare them rather than eating them whole as she knows that there’s are uneatable parts or poisonous bits in them even for her race, but she was just relieved to see that it didn't out right kill her. She shakes her head in responds doing the gesture once more, pointing to her mouth once more but, now adding a chopping motion to reveal that they have to be prepared before served.
Namely, she shook her head in reply - not wanting to offer up the idea of eating that thing raw, if anything. She nonetheless handed the bowl to another - before they resumed their basic tour de talks. Which mostly was an hour long game of pantomiming. To get a basic understanding of their ways and acts of contact.
---
For the naga, Nim had luck since these 'different' humans had by point similar expressions and gestures to those living inland in much poorer conditions. Although, any idea of thinking they were the same was dispelled when during their long 'discussions' - one leviathan had poked it's head out and tried to attack their metal vessels again.
This time, the humans replied with twelve cannon blasts that shook the sea and made her ears ring even a few hours later. Namely, they had demonstrated their 'power' - just as elves liked to flaunt their construct armies, the modern humans showed just HOW much advanced they were. A single blast from their cannons had turned a leviathan into a red paste in the sea. That, was only on their ships - the way they acted, used their own items - which nearly bordered on magic and also not.
Namely, the human woman talking to her was 'Anna' - as during their talks, they had managed to graduate into small words, Anna had told them how the humans had MADE and constructed the very things that the naga saw. Items made from metal and forged by their own hands into technology, that made any dwarven technology look like two rocks in comparison. Plus, they could easily make more of this - new arrivals, in much larger quantities then what she currently saw. People that would shake the very foundation of Titania - all that remained to be seen, was who would benefit and who would be...as the leviathan before her...blown away.
Witnessing the death of an feared predator of the abyss in a matter of second. Nim and her entourage were more then concerned with their visitors and their steel vessels. With the serpentine creature raising their guards after the massive guns had fired, mutilating the head of the once proud creature reducing it to little more than a pile of flesh floating on the vast sea feeding the flying creatures in the skies.
Nim looked with more concern and more attention due to the recent show of force with a clear sign of disbelief in her eyes. It wasn't the first time she saw a leviathan taken down by the many creatures of the past but, those were expeditions and were heavily armed to the teeth and would often need the help of their kind to draw them out and would often result in the deaths of many but, these creature not only didn't need their help they were able to do it in a manner of seconds - leaving her with many sleepless nights to come.
She shutters at first when they resume their talks once more now going to a more serious manner. While the barrier was still ever present and delaying any official diplomatic ties with one another. Though she was able to understand that the one in question was named 'Anna' while she on the other hand that her name is 'Nim' while the world "Nimfade" was ever present in her words though it was still hard to understand what she was saying.
---
As the talks continued, eventually another woman would appear. This one wearing only a white long coat on her and looking less armed than the others. Although 'Anna' did delegate role to her, as evident by the bow and hand gesture towards Nim. The woman had long red hair and a much friendlier and happier face compared to everyone else. It seemed that Nim had been talking to a delegate and this woman seemed to be their leader or high enough to withhold going with a weapon or armor.
Yuna for her part, happily shook hands with the naga woman. Showing a much friendlier and charming side compared to the hard steel and firepower of the others. Seeing the sudden change of tone to a more welcoming which push off more tension and opened up more avenue for the two to discuss about something other than clear intimidation. She starts off with a simple gesture of a handshake which unlike the others is more incline or open to a more dialogue kind of approach. While her appearance made an impact with Nim as she had not seen clothing of sometime like what she wore right now and was curious if their diplomats all wore if as proudly as she did which resulted in a clear curious smile in her side.
She spoke to her even grabbing a bit of her clothing since it was clear she was more than curious with it. She gestures to the chest brought before them as a kind of tribute to open up a clear diplomatic relationship with the two. expecting them that once they do take the goods that a strict non-aggresion pact between the two would be enacted and scholars from each nation was to be provided to further the understanding and in one day break the language barrier.
Of course she tried to explain the terms to them as best as she can at the time which was to rely heavily on body language supported by a few words that they had an mutual understanding with. Though it wasn't enough to make them understand most of it and the important parts like the fact that they had to provide an scholar to build upon a 'creote' to start breaking down the barrier and in turn lead to more diplomatic missions in the future.
Yuna for her part was more than willing to allow the naga woman touch her clothing - since it was always good to have a sentient species attract some sense of interest in another. As it was better than fighting as some of the soldiers were more inclined. While the language barrier existed, Yuna understood most of with - being gift was both a gift yet also declaration of peace. She felt almost naked, not having anything to give. Until she snapped her fingers and asked one of the soldiers for their earpiece.
Thus while the naga woman had given them a chest, she was given something much smaller in return. Although as Yuma showed her, it went into one' ear or rather was attached to it. While it might have seemed like jewelry, the naga representative would soon be shown something truly amazing. Once the thing was in her ear - Yuna took several steps back and then covered her mouth and whispered something. Which was heard clear as day in her ear. The 'Yuna' had given her a direct way in speaking with them and it seemed to be long-distance - something far greater than any messenger pigeon or scrying crystal could achieve.
Then Yuna returned and soon looked more excited when the naga woman spoke of scholars. As Yuna said it, she was a 'scholar' or in their words a 'sci-en-tist' - which was a scholar of knowledge and progress.
Plus, Yuna spoke or tried to explain - that she could, come with them - if such a thing was required.
"I friend, come, be scholar. I smart. Our leaders are scholar too. We lead by scholars," she stated - to the naga woman.
She was baffled with the piece of equipment that she had just received from her as what was supposed to be soft and hard to hear was now infact easy and clear as if the two was still talking with one another. Wanting to try out her new found abilities, as she fiddle with it before speaking in her own language. "I am Nim.... leader.... of the... Nimfade..." While she unleashed a wave of words into the ear piece with various tone and tempo it was more than impossible for her to know all of what she said but, it was enough to understand her rank, name and her kingdom or empire or allegiance with how things were structured and presented in body language.
"Trade... fish... Main... kingdom" She started after introducting herself again in her tonge but, like before she was just too quick and with her testing out her voice quality have created an even more harder barrier to break through. "... Scholar..." She says pointing towards herself like in an happy expression. After she pointed to herself many of her kin started hauling nets and boxes full of aquatic delicasies which would have been connected with the word trade from before. With the other kin bring along the chest of gems closer to the ship of the AG.
Nim went up to her guards and with a fury of words and exchanges nods as they retreat back to the depths once more. "They... bring.... food... Trade... Main.... Kingdom." She answers as her escorts retreats and her kin readying to haul the cargo to the ship waiting for her responds.
Yuna quickly shook her hands and reply. "No wait. We new...just arrive. No much trade yet..." replied Yuna, revealing to Nim that the humans here might be something completely different. Or might even be not from this world in the first place - which felt almost as silly as water flowing upwards.
Although, as they talked Nim would spot the namely vessels that her people would usually partake in trading with. Namely mainlander vessels and they'd likely be in for a much bigger shock. Since compared to some of the vessels they had, be they warships or trading vessels - they all looked tiny compared to the juggernauts these humans possessed.
"Who they?" asked Yuna, pointing at the approaching vessels, while her own group of humans gained a more serious expression. The grip on their weapons tightening as they looked at the approaching vessels.
---
While the ship in question didn't look it was made for trading. It was relatively well made and looked like an crude galleon that the spanish made in the past with iron plastered or hanging from the sides. It had several cannons on the top but, its lower quarters had little to none cannons on them. The ship itself was impressive and one could easily mistake them as pirates but, Nim and her men expected them and instead of fleeing stood their ground and quickly gathered the boxes that had the live fish in them, while her warriors comb the area for anyone that can interfer with them.
She readies herself, taking up position near the center of the beach as the ship gets close to the shoreline. Yuna and the others are uncertain of what race they were as from away, it seems like it was operated by a greenish humanoid crew, running around adjusting the sails of the ship as they get ever closer to colliding with the shores. Slowing down fast enough in order to turn and dock just in time to avoid any damage to the vessel. The crew stood on the deck as they examined the strange ships with the naga but, seeing as they didn't attacked they sent out an representative to investigate.
The one they chosen was the largest of the group and was by far the most armored out of all the ship's crew as he wore black armor with material unknown to the human scientist. He moved proud and confident as the two meet in the middle where both of them quickly started talking to one another.
Yuna' guard soon tightened their circle around the scientist - seeing as the green humanoid very much resembled something that looked like an ork. Some of the gathered men even stated that - calling out the appearance almost immediately. As it was, Yuna even ordered for the Leviathan to ready a missile burst, in case the 'orks' proved hostile. Since despite all the cultural background behind them, as a scientist she hoped that the stereotype of the wild and brutish orc in this case wasn't true.
As it was, the new arrival would see that the group beside the naga were...human. Or rather human-like, they had the same appearance and facial expressions, and even shape of the regular savages deeper inside the lands. Although these humans were much better dressed, looked much healthier and were decked out in some rather fancy looking techno-magic equipment that not even the elves could match.
"Who they?" asked Yuna, from Nim - as her guards, kept their weapon safeties off - in case they needed to unleash several dozen bullets at the new unknown arrival.
As the two met with the center, a small bow was given as they officially start the meeting. While the two were now conversing to that of an new language then what Yuna and Nim was talking with awhile ago there was no to little way for her and for the other humans to understand with one another. While the orc wasn't displaying any signs of hostilities there was some instances of where he sneak a curious peek with the humans.
While the two were talking it was obvious that some of it was directed to the moderns and what the orcs would see as alien ships. While the two were locked in a heated discussion, it soon ended with the two separating and with nim ordering some of her men to ready the goods. With most of them starting to carry and prepare the previous boxes of live fish for transportation.
While the numerous warriors and crew of the orcish ship started hauling their own cargo for what they could see an organized exchange from the two proving to be an insightful look on the value of goods and how trade in this or rather for the two different races do trading. After the two had exchanged words Nim return back to Yuna bowing down in an apologenic manner as she answers with one word. "Ogars."
"Ogars? Huh. Strange word to say. Sure they not orks?" asked Yuma in reply, since in her mind - it sounded like used the word 'ogres' and those things usually looked much bigger and larger than orks. Or that might have been her more colored and cultural background that might have been mixing up things.
"Okay then. So. Me come with you?" asked Yuna, knowing that Nim needed people to help translate and decipher both language and culture. Plus with the communicators they could easily keep in contact with the surface vessels on top.
She nods, as the orcs started hauling the goods once more her people were quite in ease waiting for their turn to haul their price back to land. She points to the orc vessel, suggesting that it would be her new destination waiting for her for an sign of approval of any kind.
Yuna shook her head in reply and crossed her arms and then pointed at her and the naga then at the ocean. "You...me...ocean...talk scholar...not orks..." replied Yuna, trying to translate the misunderstanding. As she soon enough had one of the soldiers had over one of the rebreathers which she put around her face. Then pointed at her gills and then back at the water. Indicating that she could swim with them.
She nods understanding from her body language that she wanted to swim. She agreed quickly diving to the cold waters awaiting her friends keeping close at the surface knowing that from experience that humans aren't able to hold their breathes long enough for her to show them her lands.
The warriors who were keeping an close eye on them with some jumping but, diving deeper than Nim had waiting for an incident to happened. While the others were curious to check out the armored soldiers of the strange humans. Their mouths emiting a faint purplish gas around them. "Hastend..." One of them says while they examine the humans.
The soldier grumbled something in reply, while he didn't emit gas from his mouth - he did wear something that easily filtered out any water or gas that might interrupt with his breathing. Yuna for her part, was rather excited - so much so that she literally ordered one soldier out of their suit and onto her instead. So she could keep up with the naga woman.
---
Thus ten minutes later Yuna followed Nim underwater, likely surprising Nim with their technology that enabled them to be underwater. As Yuna soon took a hold of Nim' hand and pointed deeper to the others - indicating that she wanted to follow them and her to their underwater city.
She wasn't too keen with the whole idea of bringing her down towards her city in fears of acciendentenly killing her like all the others that attempted in the past.
She shakes her head worried about her current state. But, seeing as she wasn't grasping for air she reluctanly agrees, holding her hand as she prepares to dive deeper. She slowly guides the curious scholar to the nearest of their civilization.
But, while she was down far from the sights of the humans on the surface, she could clearly see the beauty of the untamed wilds of the underworld, as school of fishes swim about and the rainbow colored surfaces that thriving coral colonies seem to thrive on and the many differents ocean life thats foreign in nature of the world. Knowing what was happening the guards rush to her aid. They examined the 'scientist' curious to see if she was still breathing.
As it was Yuna was doing rather finely, looking around her and everything that she saw. The vast array of wildlife, marine life and simply colorful fish in general was making the young-excited-girl within her to go crazy with all the possibility. Her mind was going several times an hour, trying to imagine how such creatures came into existence. As it was, she even fished that she had gills in this moment - so she could get a closer look at the fish. For the most part though, she held onto Nim' hand, to make sure she didn't slip anywhere else.
While the bottom was full of wonders and curiousity she would soon find that it was not without its threats as a strange creature which had oddly had limbs was prowling around the coral reef in search of prey and like an shark out in the ocean the fishes and the other sea inhabitants were constantly keeping a distance from it like, they sense the malicious intent of the beast. While it was far from them, a sense of dread overcame because other than its hostile look and movement it seem to have no interest with the smaller prey that surrounds it.
Nim, pulls her away from the creature, leading her to an plateua surrounded by the colorful reef that pique her interest. Aside from that what seems to be structures craved out from the rocky surface of the terrain. Aside from that, many more of her kind there were artificial spires whose sole purpose was to encourage coral reefs to form around them. While the structures had its walls around sandblocks or reefs. But, if it was the case of how these race make their buildings is still up to debate, but it was obvious that this place or settlement was far from the capital as the spires would suggest that it was used for agricultural purposess.
Nevertheless for Yuna it looked amazing, since it was artificial constructs, which spoke of sentient and also culture to have them formed in the first place. For Nim, it was like watching a newborn swim around and discover everything for the first time. Except this time around it was with a human, who was likely ten times more advanced than her entire race combined. Still it showed that despite the ungodly power they wielded that they were... relatable.
Namely they had an interest in the unknown and new, like they had. As it was, Yuna soon tapped something on her wrist, before something was deployed from the larger human ship and started heading towards Yuna.
As the woman soon enough met it and returned, appearing to be holding onto somekind of cylindrical tube - that seemed to move about in the water as fast as a naga. A device as simple as an underwater scooter, yet to Nim it appeared to be something out of magic. As Yuna soon used it to buzz around Nim, appearing rather excited at everything she was seeing.
As she mounts on her sea scooter and zip through the small civilization she could see that wherever they were whole sums of fishes swimming nearby using the farmed corals as breeding grounds to lay their young and further their numbers. While the naga which further enriches the bio diversity of the ocean.
The coral works of these people were remarkable to say the least and in a sense can reach out her hand and grab on the passing fishes like the people of the sea were doing but,aside from the small fishes around her their was larger creatures that were swimming around them which they have seem to domesticated for these lifestyle and companionship. Which were guarding the reefs from those that would destroy it, eating some of the fishes as compensation for their services.
The citizens of the plateau and easy going as they let the scientist fly around their coral fields and enjoy what she once had in her youth. Yuna almost felt a bang of jealousy upon witnessing to all of this. Their own oceans had been bathed in both chemical and nuclear warfare. While the deeper parts of the ocean might sustain life within them - the more surface and more beautiful and biodiverse rich area had completely demolished. So much so, that she looked at one tiny rascal that seemed to have settled on her hands. It was a good thing, that one couldn't see her she'd a tear underwater. Once that show was done, she arrived back at Nim' location, nodding for her to continue and pointing with her hand, that she was ready to continue on their journey and discovery.
She understood her curiosity no human has ever seen their farms up close or see the marvels of the sea before but, traveling towards the next village was impossible or too dangerous for the new comer. Gesturing above in telling her that its finally time to return back on top and conclude their adventures for now. As she sees that night time was almost upon them causing her to appear and sound more worried then before. "...Up...." She said a whole series of words explaing why but, due to the water and her limited knowledge she failed in making her understand the reasons why it was important to get out as fast as possible.
She grabs her hand and starts to ascend back to where she knew her ship was. When Nim returned she would be surprised to see that construction was happening upon the small stretch of sand. Barely a day gone and already the humans were building - namely having dragged the destroyed ship that a Leviathan had tried to chew, eat and swallow. Now it was being stripped for parts and utilized in constructing the first naval yard in this world.
Some of the naga might even be surprised at how rapidly things were going. As the former stretch of sand was starting to resemble an actual port at that, although instead of wood and timber - this one was made of hard, welded metal.
She was curious on what they were doing and rather impress. She could see that they were using steel which was solely used in making weapons into structures for them to use but, to what purposely was what pique her interest the most making her come out of the waters and into land in order to find out how these humans built such an structure. Seeing the skeleton of the said structure with clear sense of awe present in her face.
