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[retromach]

Compromising with the Paladins, the Abbot had tasked Brother Jonathan to make sure that the Vaelguinnar was not, in fact, a danger, and to help her to adapt to the city. This had been one of his first ideas - to go to House Lyrandar looking for transport home. As it happened, they couldn't provide it. Sormias Velcrosse would need a job, and a place to stay.

Not that it couldn't wait through a short conversation.

[Weirdsound]

The hobgoblin takes a step back from Brother Jonathan as the aberration answers his question; He wasn't a big fan of zealots who cleansed first and asked questions of the ashes. He then slumps against the wall to consider Sormias' words. He had never heard of Vael or Lyrentium, and doubted anybody else in the Lyrandar organization would have either. He didn't want to send the strange woman away empty handed however, and pass up an opportunity to study her.

Then... an idea struck.

"Well the bad news is I have never heard of either of those places... but I suppose you are in luck. If anyone can help you, it is me." Mr. Shredder shoots the aberration a toothy grin. "As it just so happens, I am helping arrange a voyage of The Astral Kraken, House Lyrandar's mighty Spell Jammer! A ship that can travel the Astral Sea between worlds! If you were not involved in a summoning contract to get here, this 'Lyrentium' you speak of might actually be on the same plane of existence as our Eberron! If so, The Astral Kraken may someday find it!"

Mr. Shredder then sighs. "And if not, the magic to get you home will be costly... if you can even find somebody capable of performing it. Working on pretty much the only ship that can travel between worlds is a lucrative busniess indeed, and as such a tour or two aboard the Astral Kraken may be in your best interests anyway, m'lady. The question, then, is are you the sort of person fit for work aboard an airship?"

[TALLPANZER]

"Well that sounds fair. You do not mind if escort you until you get home, Sormias?"

[Trissy-Tama]

[Redacted at request]

[Weirdsound]

Mr. Shredder takes a deep breath, and returns to his chair. "We call it an airship because it moves through the air. It is, sadly, constructed from what passes for regular ship materials on this world. As for the duration of the voyages, I'd be surprised if any single trip were to take more than a quarter year at most. I believe House Lyrandar can employ you for several centuries, but seeing as I'm not expected to live for even a century myself, I cannot make any promises."

Like any respectable amoral wizard, Hel-Shredder had lofty dreams of existing beyond the limits of his natural lifespan, but there was no way he would be discussing those around a Silver Monk. Speaking of...

"As for Brother Jonathan, I would be foolish to turn down the aid of a Silver Monk, but I am a bit concerned life on the Astral Sea may not be a good fit for a man of such piety. Sailors tend to get involved in all sorts of vices that Monks tend to avoid." In truth, Mr. Shredder did not want Brother Jonathan tagging along to interfere in his future studies of necromancy or demonology, but if he were to outright deny employment to a competent Silver Monk, and his superiors found out, the hobgoblin would never hear the end of it. The best he could do was try to talk the acolyte out of coming.

[TALLPANZER]

"I have grown up in the cogs, and seen many acts of sin far worse then the vices of sailors." Brother Jonathan folded his hands together "This Astral Sea does sound intriguing. I'm sure I could keep the warmth of the Flame in the hearts of your crew, while protecting Sormias, of course." *He nodded.*

[Weirdsound]

Mr. Shredder sighs. No escaping the Monk it seems. At least his superiors would be impressed by the hire. "Very well then. I suppose this is the ideal time to make a few unorthadox hires. Our next planned voyage is going to be a short one, so if either of you don't work out, at least we wont be stuck with each other for months. Think of it as a trial period!"

He reaches across the desk, offering Brother Jonathan his hand, while turning his head to Sormias so as to explain what is going on to the alien. "This is called a handshake. It is how people offer formal greetings or signify an agreement 'round here."

[TALLPANZER]

Brother Jonathan took the offered hand in his own and shook on it "Sometimes one must also sign a paper, we have many clerks here."

[Weirdsound]

"Well... yeah. Contracts." The hobgoblin sheepishly admits, "there is that bit too."

Mr. Shredder withdraws his hand from the monk and offers it to Sormias, but his attention turns to the stone on his desk. His voice turns noticeably harsher as he speaks to the secretary. "Oi! Gnome! I'm giving the two you sent up a trial run on the next Kraken voyage! Prepare them standard short-term contracts!"

The Hobgoblin then directs his focus back to Sormias and Brother Jonathan, and his voice becomes friendly once again. "The Gnome up front will help you both with your paperwork. I should have the voyage manifest done by sundown, and once that is finished, your reporting times will be posted both with the receptionist here, and at The Hearth and Harbor tavern. Don't be late or we leave without you!"

[retromach]

They look to be standard adventurer contracts. You're provided room and board, and half of the market value of any contents of the cargo hold upon your return, divided among the adventurers onboard. On a case by case basis you will also be rewarded cash incentives to take on missions that are less lucrative in the short term.

[Trissy-Tama]

[Redacted at request]

[Weirdsound]

"You'll pick things up fast enough. You seem rather clever. Anyway, I'm sure once we get out on the Astral Sea, plenty of things will be just as alien to the rest of us as they are to you!" Mr. Shredder replies with a smug grin, loving the fact that Sormias chose to humor him and now very much hoping that the strange woman would pan out as a long-term crew member of the Astral Kraken.

[retromach]

With papers signed, people retired for the night. The ship had all the crew it needed, for the time being. Rooms were offered for several hours. At nightfall, the ship would depart.

The Astral Kraken docked at a berth atop the highest spire in Sharn. A two hundred foot causeway lead out from the tower to the docked ship, which was ringed by a violet flame. An observation dome at the bottom of the ship provided a bird's eye view of the city. Crates and barrels of supplies were being moved aboard.

Each of you was assigned a room. Some were larger, with writing desks, for those who needed them for writing, crafting, and arcane preparation. Others were smaller, with porthole windows. There was a central galley on the mid deck with a Ghallandan chef, Chevash d'Ghallanda, a brash halfling who wore a bladetooth claw armband, and cooked Talentan Barbecue. The rearmost tower was occupied by Cylia d'Sivis, a Gnomish student from Morgrave University with the Mark of Scribing, who will be able to send and receive messages from the tower here throughout your voyage. Lastly, your helmsman, Kayto d'Lyrandar, stood on the causeway near the ship, enjoying a quiet smoke before the voyage.

Hel-Shredder Rippedspleens, known to most of you as Mr. Shredder, was the first of you to arrive, overseeing the loading of supplies and a shakedown review of the ship's enchantments. The elemental ring was attuned, creating a field of slowly moving air around the ship, and providing suitable lift and thrust. The lightning-ballista at the front of the vehicle was primed and ready. Spelljammer sails were packed into their extradimensional spaces, and the unfolding mechanism was in order. One by one, people arrived to be assigned rooms.

[Weirdsound]

Hel-Shredder would usually be giving the dock crew a hard time at this point in the preparation of a voyage; They never loaded supplies as fast or efficiently as he would like, and today was no exception, but today he was in too good a mood to yell at the peons. The Astral Kraken was his baby. He played a role in its construction. He played a role in planning its voyages. And now, for the first time since the initial test flights, he would play an active role in its adventures.

Once his inspection is complete, he approaches the Helmsman with a wide friendly grin plastered on his face. "Everything looks in order, Kayto ya lucky dog! Enchantments are all doing what they are supposed to, and I helped pick some solid hands for the adventure crew! Should be a fun flight for you, easy money for all of us, and glory to House Lyrandar! ...So, think any of the plants the University is sending us after are going to be good for smoking?"

[retromach]

Kayto shrugged, unknowing. He was a man of pleasantly taciturn disposition, and spoke little. The clock tower still read fifteen minutes to departure as he exhaled smoke. "We'll find out."

In truth no one knew what to expect, but Mr. Shredder had a buyer lined up for just about anything, from alchemical materials to undiscovered plants with unknown properties to lumberyards to a man at the Sharn City Zoo looking for exotic beasts to display.