The smell of salt on the cool morning air is the first thing Aquilan can make sense of. The chatter of seagulls and faint ache of muscle pains from the extended stay in the sea crept its way into his dulled mind. Suddenly, all feelings would return as a wave of cool water would come crashing down upon him. The water was chilled, filling his clothing once more as his red and black hair floated in the wave’s pause. His mouth felt dry, and much like this wave that woke him up, his memories flooded his mind as the cool water flowed back to the ocean. His time in the academy, his time in the dungeon, his travels and studies as well as what he surely thought was his death. He was now fully awake as he lay on his back in the clothing he was wearing during his voyage. His sword was strangely rested upon his breast, as though someone had placed it there to keep it from being buried beneath the sand. It was very hard to do more than blink, and even then his eyes still burned. The sun would rise quickly before his mind would return from his memories. A shadow passed over the sun, a shadow far thicker than any seagull. A heavy sliding noise was followed by the sound of wood hitting wood. A small boat had ran ashore as the tide left the beach.
Zarriia awoke to the sound of seagulls and crashing waves. The storm was not a dream, she had infact been aboard a ship lost to the sea. Thankfully, she was capable of stealing one of the small dinghies tied to the side of the massive cargo ship. She had a 31 gallon barrel of water and a covered crate of rations that were more than enough to last her for two weeks. The sail was in tatters as her eyes came into focus. Her mind begged her to close her eyes again, to let sleep take her back beneath its fold. Sadly, the impact of hitting the beach wished otherwise. The drow was jostled from her bench, saved from falling in the small amount of water within the boat by the barrel. Her mouth felt like a desert, her tongue like a piece of cotton. The salty air had done a number on her. She was now fully awake despite her body's protest. Her boat was in still water behind a large sandbar. It slowly started to lean as the water drained out of the large basin.
Zarriia could see inland on the beach. There was a large low profile ship that looked to have been beached years ago. The metal decking and rust as well as the lack of any mast or sails hinted at a dwarven design. Further off in the distance stood an imposing cliff that was easily over six hundred feet tall. As the sun rose behind her, its light would catch a shimmer on the beach before her. There appeared to be an elven man laying on his back slightly off to the right of her little craft. His lips were blistered from what she could see, hinting that he had been at sea without the luxury of hiding himself from the sun. He appeared to be awake, however he did not look to be in good health. His pointed ears were jutting out from beneath his long black hair. Zarriia might have mistaken him for a Nillian if it were not for his elven ears and the light red streaks that patterned his hair.