Drache

The Crystal Engines

Assuming that Eva can't hang out in the engine room too long before being discovered, were you planning on playing an NPC catching her or what? I don't think Serendi is likely to sneak into the engine room after her at this point, though she will likely retire towards her cabin quite soon.

And then perhaps they can have a conversation that puts them on speaking terms? It can give us a chance to time-skip possibly a week or so until the pirate attack? Thoughts?

The Crystal Engines

An attempt to touch or speak to Eva was not forth-coming. The half-dragon's attention flicked back and forth between the sailors who were too busy securing cargo and readying the Sapphire for her voyage. As the lean, reclusive woman leaned her hip against the railing, she began to play a mental game that helped pass the time. In her line of work there was a lot of waiting. Waiting for guards to pass, waiting for a mark to arrive, waiting for the delivery of her money. The game was simple. She would look at a person and try to guess to the best of her ability how she would strike if they were a mark. What valuables could she see, and what might they be concealing in their clothes? How would she escape them? How would she fight them? It was a grim or even morbid contemplation, but she liked to think that it kept her sharp, helped her avoid attachments.

Serendi was in the process of wondering if an angular bulge in the back pocket of a particularly rude-looking sailor was a cigar case or a shard-powered pistol when a flash of something bright red caught her attention. Tilting her horned head slowly, she watched Eva scribble something down in a book, a journal more likely, and then tuck it away again. It was curious that Serendi hadn't noticed the hidden object before. The Game still on her mind, she couldn't help turn those thoughts on Eva. She suspected that apart from the arrogant boatswain, the human girl was likely the only other person on deck carrying an unwise amount of money. She looked like a girl from a wealthy family. Perhaps she would find jewelry on her. She suspected the girl would be easy to rob, likely too shocked by the act to put up much of a fight, too demure of personality to make much fuss, and she didn't look like she had any kind of martial skill. It was all guesswork, and as usual the shadow-weaver didn't expect to ever have a chance to discover if her assumptions were correct.

Not that she actually intended to do any such thing, though the callous mindset was reflected in her silver eyes. Her black eyebrow twitched up as Eva passed her by, but she did not follow her or comment. A few moments later there was a barely perceptible whine and the constant thrum of energy from belowdecks tripled.

They were under way at last, drifting out on the salty waves until they were clear of the docks. The blue and silver sails stretched tautly above filled with wind and the deck gave a forward lurch, a shift that was repeated a moment later as the vessel began to rise. Water glittered and streamed from the hull back down to the surface of the sea as the Sapphire took to the skies, a marvel of wind-power and the combined might of magic and clockwork engineering.

Serendi reached up to curl her fingers around a single rope of the rigging, looking out across the horizon as it sank below the railings, replaced by fluffy white clouds.

Down in the stuffy darkness, hot and full of the repetitive clunks and whirrs and steamy blastings of the ship's workings, Eva had yet to be discovered. Voices muttured secretively through a vent into a neighbouring room, partially obscurred by the noise of the engines.

"...dangerous this time of year."

"The Kingfisher never made it to port. I hard it was pirates..."

"...it was a bad idea to take on so much cargo. And two women...that's bad luck!"

"Well, only one woman. The other one is nothing but a dragon-bitch..."

There was a reason that the engines were not being watched during the launch. The crew in charge with such a task were loitering, gossiping like fish-wives at a market.

The Crystal Engines

There was a tingle down her spine that gave Serendi pause. Waiting for the ship to weigh anchor and take to the skies, she had perched herself neatly on a silver-enameled railing, her long legs and sinuous tail draping precariously over the side towards the distant blue-green surf. Though perhaps not so precariously, owing to the presence of bat-like wings folded causally at her back.

The hour was still early, the sun rising in the east over the city, and the black-scaled woman was taking refuge from the brightness in the shade of the airship's forecastle. At mid-day she would likely retreat into the dim interior, sequestering herself in the pitifully tiny cabin that she had hired for the month-long journey.

But for now, excitement and a sense of adventure was palpable in the air, and not just because of the static hum tingling along the slender bones of her wings. The charged crystal mech-engine deep in the belly of the Drakkar-class ship was like a distant hum that the shadow-weaver could hear with her blood rather than her frilled ears. Her sister, an extraordinarily talented fire-mage, had once told her that riding on an airship felt to her as though her fangs might vibrate right out of her head. If there was a time in her life that Serendi was thankful her arcane abilities were only mild, it was now.

Yet, the tingle she felt along her spine that made her black tail give a little twitch was not due to the thrum of the engines below. She was being watched, and the half-dragon turned to observe a young human woman who was, in turn, watching her. Serendi matched the young woman's stare, her own eyes a smokey, silvery gray and slitted like a cat's, unblinking and reserved. Serendi's skin, where it wasn't brushed with tiny black scales, was a wraithlike grey. A pair of bold black horns sprouted from her forehead and swept back around her temples, framing the frill-like ears on the sides of her face. Apart from these obvious inhuman features, the woman was basically humanoid in shape, garbed in a dark, travel-worn cloak and a corseted vest over tight black breeches. A variety of pouches and leather cases hiding various implements were strapped neatly to her body, as though she preferred to store none of her belongings out of her sight. Or rather, if she felt the need to be prepared for...something.

The silent exchange of looks did not last long, though Serendi's face turned to follow Eva's progress as the curly-haired girl moved to the rail and looked over into the water. Not long after, the gangplank was raised and the already-bustling activity on the upper deck seemed to intensify. The ship was a smaller vessel, primarily a long-range cargo ship, and the chartered journey did not take passengers into account. Being so, Serendi had anticipated the rather boorish behaviour of the crew, who had been selected for their brawn rather than their charm. A broken-horned minotaur with a scarred and mangy pelt of fur hurried by with a rough shipping cask on each shoulder, and it was only by virtue of her practiced grace that Serendi was able to side-step him to avoid being knocked over the railing. Irritated at having to dodge the beast, the half-dragon's eyes narrowed at his broad back and there was a faint growl in her throat in wordless response. But the creature was already past her, leering, a lewd smirk on his bovine snout at Eva until he had passed her by as well.

"You'd best stay out of the way, ladies," a sailor advised, addressing both of them simply because they were standing near enough to both be included. It was the same man who had thrust his hand in Eva's face when she arrived. Though Serendi noticed the slight sarcastic quip in his tone, as though not convinced that a half-breed could, indeed, be called a lady. "We'll be under way in a moment and it won't do to have either of you underfoot while the lads work, no matter how you managed to get a pass to come aboard."

"I would have hoped that an esteemed vessel such as this one could attract a crew with enough sense to avoid trampling people across the deck," the half-dragon replied, her tone smooth and scathing at the same time, her lips curved into a scornful smile. "Apparently I was mistaken."

Even as she traded glares with the ship's bosun, his comment made her wonder about Eva, and how someone who was dressed so proper would come to be on this ship. She suspected that money had secured the pass, leaving her to wonder at the why.

Dragonlance Chronicles, anyone?

Well whatever you decide, let me know. Dragonlance RPs are at the top of my list of favourites.

The Crystal Engines

Just fyi, I'm at work now but should be able to get a post up in a few hours.

The Crystal Engines

Serendi
*In addition to black iridescent scales on her body, horns, and a tail, she also has wings.

Age: 32
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual
Race: Half-human/Half-dragon (shadow)
Occupation: Thief, spy, sellsword.
Talents: Lockpicking, traps, most martial weapons, rope-climbing, translating.
Supernatural Abilies: Darkvision, Shadow-weaving

Brief Personality: Serendi is, out of an instinct for self-preservation, secretive and aloof. Friendship and camaraderie has never been her strong suite, primarily because being a half-breed has not lent itself well to being social. Her chosen occupation has further instilled a need for caution about who she trusts. She has learned to suspect that kindness is only a form of manipulation and that there is no such thing as a free meal. However, there exists within her the capacity for love and affection if one has the patience it takes to earn her trust. Unfortunately, she is the kind of person who will test every offer with potentially abrasive and cruel doubt.

Brief History: Serendi is the cast-off offspring of a human whore and an impulsive shadow dragon named Glimmershade, who enjoyed the shameless use of shape-shifting to lurk among the lesser races. Growing up in the streets with obvious non-human features taught her to be quick, quiet, secretive. With the help of her adopted sister, a powerful half-dragon sorceress named Drachiathoryx, Serendi discovered her talent for shadow-weaving, which made it easier to sneak and spy. It was not long before her talents earned the notice of those who dwell in the dark underbelly of society. The jobs were small at first. Pick this pocket. Copy what is written on that letter. Listen in on the secret meeting tomorrow night. Disable that Watchman at the third toll of the city bells. The money was good, and since she was beholden to no one, the money was all that mattered. Recently, she has been hired to travel to a distant land to recover an ancient book from a royal tomb. Unlike any job before, she is having misgivings about the task and fears the repercussions if she should fail.

Dragonlance Chronicles, anyone?

I've read just about every novel in the entire Dragonlance series so suffice it to say I'm pretty excited to come across this posting. I'm very keen on playing non-human characters, especially dragons/half-dragons, draconians, minotaurs, etc. I could play both or the dragon half of a rider pair, or any number of other creatures. I'll have to refresh myself on exactly what takes place in the first trilogy but I'm very familiar with D&D/Dragonlance lore. :)

Play with Fire!

Bump

Play with Fire!

Ho hum

Female Demon* Seeks Useful Employment with Mature Mage, Sorcerer, or Other Magic-User (18+)

Just had to stop and say how much I loved this post. I'm tempted to throw my female half-dragon sorceress at you. It's a rare chance I get to bounce her off of characters older than she is. ;P