(_continued from: [RP] Under New Management)
Captain Coppersail made his way down the narrow gangway of the ship into the berthing and approached the rack where Trade Princess Senneca Swiftsilver lay sleeping. He leaned over the sleeping goblin, and reached out to nudge her awake, when suddenly he found himself violently pinned to the bulkhead, a dagger at his throat.
“T-terribly sorry to disturb you, trade p-princess.” the captian managed to choke out, the cold steel pressure threatening to spill his life out onto the deck, “We’ve s-spotted land.” The Trade Princess glared at the captian, the shock of being startled from sleep subsiding. She blew a strand of her hair, messy from sleep, out of her face and lowered her weapon as Captian Coppersail breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Captian. I’ll be on deck shortly.”
Captian Coppersail bowed his head deeply, still rubbing the spot on his throat where that cold deadly pressure still felt fresh “Very well, Trade Princess.” and with that, he made his way back up the gangway to the top deck of the ship.
Senneca began to dress herself, but found it difficult to focus. A range of thoughts and emotions swirled through the goblin’s head as her body seemed to make the familiar motions of buttoning buttons and donning garmets as if on autopilot.
She was finally arriving at her destination after nearly two months at sea, a place she had never expected to return to. Now that she was here, she wasn’t sure how to feel. On the one hand, the unique and untapped opportunity here could potentially make her small cartel strong enough to topple even the mighty Steamweedle or Bilgewater. On the other, she was having to face a part of her past she thought she had put aside years ago. The undeniable potential for power and profit for the cartel ultimately pushed her to undertake such a journey.
Senneca made her way to the topdeck and squinted as her eyes adjusted to the bright sun from the darkness of the lower decks of the ship. The salt air smelled fresh compared to the musty wood smell of the berthing, and the gentle seabreeze blew through her auburn hair. All around her the ship’s crew of goblin smugglers were busy pulling rope, climbing rigging, barking orders, and singing songs.
She walked across the deck, oblivious to the activity around her, to the ship’s bow where the captian was waiting. Senneca looked ahead to the horizon where a grey volcanic island loomed menacingly. “That’s it, isn’t it?” the Trade Princess asked, uncharacteristically somber. “That’s it.” Captian Coppersail replied, equally somberly. Senneca nodded with an air of determination. “Bring us in then. The advance team should be awaiting our arrival.” The Captian replied “As you command, Trade Princess.”
The sails were turned to the wind and the island grew larger and more imposing as the ship grew closer. When the ship was 200 meters off shore, they dropped anchor and a small expeditionary force of goblins launched ashore. When the Trade Princess landed, she jumped out into the surf, her boots crunching the glassy volcanic rock beneath her feet. The feeling was eeire for her as she walked ankle deep in the hissing waves, to meet the welcoming party of goblins awaiting her on the beach.
The Cartel’s chief chemist was the first to greet the Trade Princess as she trudged up the beach “Greetings Trade Princess. I hope your journey wa-” Senneca cut him off “Let’s get right to business, Proffessor. I ain’t payin ya ta brown nose.” Senneca began walking up towards the mainland, the volcanic landscape around her devistated and alien, yet her feet carrying her as if she had walked this path hundreds of times before. “Have the results of the experiment been successful?”
They crested a bluff coated with ash and volcanic rock revealing the remnants of buildings under the volcano. Devestation and ruin spred before them as twisted metal rusted into the mountianside. The chief chemist grinned at his boss “You’re going to want to see this for yourself. The results of the experiment have exceeded our wildest expectations.” The Trade Princess nodded in response as the group came to a gaping hole in the side of the mountian.
Senneca said nothing, as she walked to a faded sign next to the enterance of the cave, the face of which was coated in ash and the grime of years if exposure to the elements. She looked at the sign for a second, then with her hand, she wiped away the ash and dirt to reveal the fadead text on the wood. She paused and looked at the sign, her exoression showing only the faintest trace of emotion, then she made her way into the enterence of the shaft, the rest of the group following close behind.
As the group disapeared into the darkness, the faded text on the sign could clearly be read “Swiftsilver Kaja Mine, Kezan”.