The voice from the pearl laughs once more. "I do not keep your friend inside. How could I, when I'm nothing more than a mere prisoner? He chose to enter and he can choose to leave as well. He has more of a choice than I do, sadly." There's clear sadness to her voice.

Sean humphed but said no more.

The giant pearl glows brighter for a brief moment and then Orlov wakes up from his trance. "So you've returned. And with your mind still mostly intact. You're clearly more skilled than most." the voice from the pearl says, sounding impressed.

Sean made a motion for Orlov to follow for private reconoiter.

Assuming that Orlov does so, the pearl stays in place, patiently waiting.

"Ran showed me the way" Orlov said to the Pearl.

He followed Sean a short distance away. "I'm okay, it seems to be a place that promises great power, but captures those who grab too much. I need to talk to it, I couldn't speak inside."

"What happened here? Did it speak?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:49, Tue 28 May.

Sean nodded, "Yes it wants very badly to get out. You have heard of D'Jinn yes? I think that is what we have. Throw it into the ocean it's the only place the thing can't harm us."

"I don't know what D'Jinn are. I haven't sensed anything malicious about the Pearl so far, but I think it will be a temptation for the unwary and a trap for the greedy. Yet I see a use for it, and it could be traded. Throwing it overboard could be premature" Orlov said.

"Another question is who are the people inside, and why are they there? Should they be freed, or is that dangerous?"

This message was last edited by the player at 02:54, Tue 28 May.

Sean was a bit surprised as he thought Orlav would have heard of them. "People of the desert call them demons of shadow and flame. legends say they offer your fondest desire, but use evil means to aquire it and thereby damning you as well. Point is I don't think it's actually people but something that wants us to believe that. She gave me the creeps, like she was sizing me up to make use of me to toss me aside later. My opinion hasn't changed, we should throw it in the deepest part of the ocean and forget about it."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:09, Tue 28 May.

"What I saw was of the deeps amd of the sky, nothing of desert or sand" Orlov replied. He headed back to the orb.

"Eylenya? How did you come to be trapped in here?" he asked.

Sean thinks he overestimated Orlov's intelligence. "That thing cannot be trusted. Treat everything it says as half-truth at best."

"My sisters imprisoned me here. Tricked me into attuning to the pearl... then they severed the connection between my soul and body."

"How and why would they do ghat?"

"What can you tell me about the Pearl? Can it change size? How many people are inside? How did they get there?"
This message was last edited by the player at 11:06, Tue 28 May.

"They were jealous of my power. Always were." Eylena says with hatred in her voice. "The pearl is a powerful relic, found long ago on a small, secluded island in the Hollows. Many before me tried to unlock its secrets. And not many were able to leave it with some of its wisdom like you did. And now, I'm trapped here as well. I'm powerful enough to reach outside, but it drains me and it won't be long before I have to rest again."

"What happens if someone touches it?" Orlov asked.

"It can be handled normally. You have to open your mind to its power to enter it. Some do it accidentally, without meaning to. Without being ready for what follows. Many such beings are trapped inside."

Orlov grabs the orb to see what happens. He doesn't try to attune to it. If nothing, he lets it go.
"You can make it fly, it seems. Can you make it larger or smaller?" he asks.

OOC: in its current state, is it small enough to fit between the bars?

"Why do you call out to people?" Orlov asked. "Normal people either can't help you, or will get trapped, which doesn't help you."

"You want to get free, I presume. But everyone inside is a sorcerer of some power, and likely half mad. Why would anyone in their right mind free you?"

He asks that not in a scornful, dismissive way, but as an open question: Why should we free you?

Silence falls on the cargo hold for a brief moment before Eyleyna speaks up again. "I can guide you. I know where our sanctum is. My body has to still be there. I know our customs. If they followed the rites, it's stored safely, guarded from the workings of entropy. The sanctum boasts treasures beyond your imagination. I know all the secret rites, the way to get inside, all the pathways forgotten in time. And in exchange, you will help me to find a suitable host. Either my old body or one of my sisters who imprisoned me here. That is all I ask."

"And another way I can help you. You've already gleaned much enlightenment from this artifact. But your friend didn't. I can help him archieve the same thing you did without the risk you took. Consider it a gesture of good will. Should you accept, I will guide him through. Think about it. Now, I need to rest." The glow of the pearl grows fainter, until at last, the pearl stops glowing and gently floats down to the floor. Any further attempts to question the pearl or connect to it are unsuccessful.

You need both hands to hold the pearl properly btw.

"Old Tom's on this watch. I want him, he's a notorious gossip. And the cabin boy, wake him up. I'll join you in the mess shortly" Orlov said, leaving for the Captain's quarters.

He returned shortly afterwards with a key to the brig. He entered the treasure room and mostly emptied one of the small chests. He placed the orb in there, placed it well out of reach of the guards or anyone walking by, and weighted it down with gold and more gold on top. Then he returned the key and headed to the mess.

Seated round a table, Orlov fixed Sean, Old Tom, the cabin boy and a few others with a granite stare as he let the silence stretch uncomfortably. "I want it spread around the crew that this Pearl is an artifact of great power. It is not to be trifled with. It calls to people. It promises powers beyond imagining. If someone were unwise enough to hold it, talk to it, try to communicate with it, he might quickly be sucked inside. The thing is full of people with knowledge and skill in the occult who are trapped in there. Entering is easy. Leaving is hard. There is a woman, Eylenya, who says she can guide you safely. I don't trust her. She could not guide herself. She's trapped in there."

"If anyone feels the urge to try this thibg,talk to me first. There are powers inside that can be gained, but they can be gained by other means also. Training and study is far safer."

"I want that spread around the crew. Leave it alone. Or talk to me."

"Other than that, I don't think it's dangerous. I don't think we are likely to be cursed or the ship set on fire."

"Eylenya wants us to go to the Hollows, she says she can guide us there, to great treasures if we take her to her home. If people seriously want to do this, take it up with the Captain and we will put it to a vote. I'll vote against it: I don't trust her. It could be this Eylenya is not a trapped soul, but the Pearl itself; the message is the same: "Let me take you to great treasures, I can keep you safe."

"The question now is what to do with it. I don't think we should throw it overboard, it is a priceless powerful artifact! We could keep it. We could sell it. We could trade it for something that cannot be bought with coin. We could give it away, maybe to a faction to improve our relations, or to reduce heat. We could give it to the Falcon as a peace offering."

"Or, if the crew really dont want it aboard, we could bury it on a deserted island and make a treasure map. Then it can still be traded or whatever, or perhaps one day we want it, say we are hunted by the Revellan or Sallian navy, and want to hide jn the Hollows where they cannot follow. We have a dubious guide, we put our sails to the wind and take our chances."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:46, Fri 31 May.

Sean wouldn't touch the pearl with a 100' pole. At the meeting he said, "Throw it overboard and be done with it, that's my call and I'm sticking by it. No one should be subjected to it, it is alluring, and world ending dangerous. Spread that around too, I care not. Maybe we should buy an island instead of a ship, I dunno. I just a sword anyway."

During the meeting, the crew decided to keep the pearl under lock and key until they get the option to pawn it off to someone. For their next step, the crew decided to chase the artifact that is supposedly hidden on an island Sanctum of the Sisterhood. This will be dangerous, but the spoils should be worth it. And you know that you are not far from the small archipelago where the Sanctum is hidden.

I suppose Orlov could roll Navigate to see if you find the island with the Sanctum, or rather, if he safely guides you there.

After his encounter with the Pearl, Orlov found himself enjuvenated and full of energy. He took the ships boat out day after day. sailing by the set of the sails, the feel of the wind. He relished in the rolling of the waves, the salt spray, and on the third day, the sudden appearance of porpoises that came to play. He slowly started recovering from the beating he was given in Peurto Serena.


OOC two actions spend activating vice, one to recover from harm. Will spend a coin to improve the healing roll and fill another segment.

09:46, Today: Orlov rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  activate vice again. – 4

07:14, Today: Orlov rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  activate vice. – 1

07:13, Today: Orlov rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  reduce harm. –

Sean spends most of his time playing cards with the rest of the crew.

Orlov sets a course for the Sanctum.

"Wiremu, where did you say Jabitha said this place was? Wiremu?"

"Has wiremu recovered from his bender?"
"Did anyone else ask Jabitha?"

"Well, it's beautiful sailing weather. Let's go for a cruise."

15:57, Today: Orlov rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  navigate.