It's been a few days since I last wrote but I have a moment now so I might as well jot down a few thoughts. Not to say the last few days have been lacking, just much more laxed than the several weeks of time before it.
We'd returned to Baracoa on September 5th. After that well deserved sleep, I set off to talk with Eduardo over at the Golden Parrot. Upon arrival the tavern just felt different. My previous visit had very few other patrons in the morning but now there were more than a few including what appeared to be a few more off duty soldiers. No they weren't in the traditional Spanish uniforms of blue. The posture and, worn hands and demeanor on the other hand was more than enough to tip me off to their presence. Eduardo however wasn't too concerned though. Apparently the number of troops had increased a couple weeks ago as the Spanish Inquisition had come through and increased their numbers in the area. Given the company that now patronized the tavern I chose my topics carefully while conversing with the Guthrie representative. I explained our jaunt to the Emerald Sea and how I'd noticed other members of the Guthrie clan. He mentioned that there were other entrances to the Fortress to allow faster transport but failed to mention what those might be. I had inquired if the two items behind him had anything to do with that. Eduardo however had no idea what I was referring to. He claimed to have no idea of the cabinet sized shape along the back wall nor the shadowed area. Which begs the question if he has no idea what they are, who does? At best I can only assume Dunir, the city's security officer in my opinion, would know. At least I can assume it belongs to him or Brokkr as its their cognac on the highest shelf of the bar. I let Eduardo get back to his duties and headed back to the ship, eager to sail home.
Interestingly Melchior was waiting for me. He wanted to talk about the cannon design. I don't think I'll ever understand him. His thought process is more concerned with the end result without actually having a detailed idea of what that result will actually look like. He wants a mounted artillery system that can tear through flesh and stone as if a knife through butter. A basic cannon can do that but when I ask for specifics he gets uncharacteristically quiet. No ideas about range, area of effect, type of shot to use, the utility of varying types of shot, the list goes on. I've done what I can developing a few sketches of ideas, a turret of sorts mounted on the top deck with two cannons set on angled rails to compensate for recoil. As of yet I don't believe he's seen the drawings, or if he has, he's been oddly quiet about it.
Sometime later Santiago and Ezra returned from their own expedition on shore. They'd made sure to let Dunir know that we'd arrived in town and would be staying for a short time and had even gone so far as to request and audience with Brokkr and Sindri on Melchior's behalf. A fortunate request to be sure but we'll get to that. Shortly after their return Santiago, Ezra, and Melchior disappeared into the Captain's quarters to investigate Melchior's Moon tarot card. They found it was tied to a location using their magics that was North of here, and viewed it with a scrying window. An obelisk of unknown material was sitting in the midst of a small reflecting pool, filled with mana. This is where I write this very entry now but as I mentioned, we'll get to that. With their new discovery , Santiago denoted that the crew would stop there before our full return to Nassau. I am still begrudging this order but here we are. They are helping me with my endeavor I must help with theirs.
I digress as there's not much more of import that day. The following morning however, Santiago confirmed that our request to join Brokkr and Sindri had been granted and that we'd be dining with them that very night. Bonnie arrived from her night on the town and upon hearing the news went back out into the town to acquire some new dressware. For some reason I thought these folk were more interested in merits than niceties, I was sure my workers wear would be fine, if only a little dressed up for me. Their home was a masterpiece of architecture and functionality. Each had their own forges on top of rats nests of Leylines and thus two hallows. The city itself should be tearing itself apart with how much magic is flowing into that area. Words that I write cannot do this location justice. It is truly amazing. What I will say is that Dunir was hesitant to share details about the Inquisition. He did note that they could detect spells that were active and to give them a wide berth wherever possible. Ezra expressed a pursuit for independence, which shouldn't be too surprising. The only way they could suggest make alliances and remaining neutral where possible. An interesting position to take an island in the Carribean but apparently they had help from a pack of werewolves who are aiding in the defense of this half of the island. Hopefully their alliance can hold if the Inquisition is as active as we think they are.
Melchior tried to inquire about his mystical Atlantian stone but none of our hosts seemed terribly interested in it. Brokkr had considered it long ago but no longer cared for looking to the past. However, Brokkr did ask about the Timos? Some sort of Mesopotamian God thing... The evidence he supplied was a corpse in a lead box, some sort of clay filled body with red mud for blood and a vile of brilliant liquid all of which I know nothing about. Perplexing for sure, but nothing any of us could really help with. Its worth noting that I brought up the Ageless Woman, the angel who granted my gifts but neither Brokkr nor Sindri knew anything of her. Ezra and Bonnie on the other hand did and require further conversation later. Never the less we were invited to call on them again should we be in the area. We can after all always use more allies and thankfully this time gave a good impression.
Upon our return to the ship, Bonnie interrogated Ezra and myself for what we knew about the Ageless Woman, claiming her to be her true love. Bonnie denoted some personal history and why she felt that the connection was so strong as well but no real way to resolve the situation. She'd apparently sold the image of the woman in the Vazquez journal back in the Fortress of the Blind King for her "unsatisfying" meal. Note to self lock down any and all personal belongings and anything else I don't want stolen... Her apparent plan is to investigate the Tarot Cards with the others who have been tied to them and with to solve them. I'll get there at one point but if this is truly her end game, Bonnie should be pressing harder to guide the voyages of this crew.
We left the following morning for the island associated with the Moon tarot card. a tiny spit of land about the same size of the one I was stranded on not so long ago. The main crew stayed aboard when we arrived that night. The captain, myself Melchior, Ezra and Bonnie went to shore to find the obelisk tied to the card. At first we tried to explore a cave but on the way were ambushed by mana hungry crabs. They first went after Ezra when he tried to cast a spell. Melchior and I pushed the crystalline crabs at bay with howling winds and fire with some bait of crystalline mana that I'd put out. Its sufficed so far but we'll have to see how long it holds as the group fell back up the hill.
And so that's where we are now. We reached the top of the hill, where an obelisk stands of a material I'm not familiar with lying within a small reflecting pool. Melchior and Santiago passed out in the pool, after touching the obelisk and so now myself Ezra and Bonnie are now keeping watch should any more crabs get curious.
On that note, I don't know if a larger version of the crabs live in the cave but if I had to guess that's exactly what lives down there and have NO interest what's in there. And now Ezra is asking more about the Ageless Woman's connection to Bonnie... Lord give me patience. Where's that new pistol design I was working on...
*Sometime later, morning of 9/9/1716*
We're finally back in route to Nassau. Had to dismiss a rogue whirlwind let loose by none other than Melchior, thankfully without incident. I anticipate meeting up with Greta "Skaði" Streng and turning in the Pearl. I have no idea what she has in store for it, but that's of little consequence for me. I will be one step closer to understanding why my life was thrown upside down. To that end Melchior and Santiago's nap seem to net them a few peaches and a small box. I have little idea how they managed this but the items are physically here so I can't really argue. Of note, the box contained a small pearl Ageless Woman's Pearl which was supposedly left behind by the Ageless Angel from the island I was marooned on. She'd left it for someone to pick up and initially I had thought it would have been for Bonnie considering her connections but that didn't seem to fit. Ezra also didn't seem like he know what could be done with the pearl either.
That left me to delve into the capabilities of the pearl which contained an imbued spell of Celestial Fire. Additionally, it held the traces of her nimbus which if anything will give me a better idea of who she is or rather was? I just need to copy down the spell quickly...
*Afternoon of 9/9/1716*
Note, the Nimbus on this woman is the strongest I have ever felt. It nearly suffocated myself and the entire crew of the Santa Teresa. It even went so far as to kill all the wildlife in the area of the ship with lifeless fish floating to the surface of the sea. I'll have to be careful when I look into her any further. But for now I can look forward to joining the Tamers of Powder