#fenixtj

"Thank you. This is Calder O'Brien. Calder, Baron Tidemarch."

He bows carefully to the Baron. "Thank you for your courtesy, Lord Tidemarch. I am but a visitor to your shores, brought by fate and foul weather., by da'an and dire storm."

Indeed, it is crowded, more than a few balor knights are here, ailil lordlings, redcap commoners, unseelie trolls, all feasting at a great banqet

And yes, there are other Selkies

The Baron says "Your story is not unique, Mister O Brien. A great deluge has flushed out many water born trods. Far away as we are from the source, it affected even here"

"Still, if Fate didn't drop me here for a reason, I will find reason for myself. I mean to help out however I can. After all, the Countess saved my life."

"You came to my hold seeking a...reason?" The Baron arches a brow "I confess, while i applaud your gratitude to your rescuer, I am not sure of your reason for being here?" A look to the Countess "Is there more to this story?"

"Ah. Well, that is." He colors a bit, and bows again. "I mean no offense." Clearly not wishing to offend, but a little rough around the edges in noble etiquette.

"I asked him to come along with me, Baron. I wanted to check in with you, see if there's anything you need, see the damage myself."

"AH, the Damage is extensive along the trods. Tarnished Silver on the land trods, some complete breaks along the sea. The Mer are actually in conversation with asking for aid, and I have lent it. We have few injuries inland, but those on the shore were greiviously savaged, kithain or mer. I've tightened patrols, and my healers have been busy. I have taken what wreckage could be gathered, and used the proceeds to increase food and haven."

"If you need any help with patrolling the water ways... not that you need help, mind, but if an extra hand would be welcome... I am a deft sailor, though my ship was lost. I can swim through a stormy gale, and dive deep." He admits, "Not so deep or deft as a mer, to be true."

"Sounds like excellent work, Baron, thank you. How can the County help?"

"We have other Selkies, are you better than most your kin, Calder?"

A look to the Countess "Please, take any excess refugees to your hold or others. We are.." He gestures to the many dining here "Filled to the brim. A visit for a meal is fine, but I fear the our bale cannot endure even one more guest drawing from it while they sleep"

"I am myself, and will allow my abilities, if called upon, to speak for me, rather than make claims I cannot back."

"Happy to take as many as my car will hold, and sent back for more." Jessica agrees.

"Perhaps you could help me, Calder. Countess, may I show him something?"

"Of course."

He blinks, and nods, following.

For her part, Jessica looks for one of the Baron's people who can help ID those who might benefit from Fenix instead of Tidemarch.

So many balor in need, for just one bale use a day, you can take care of this Serpent bearing asshole... Plays In the arms of an Angel in Black metal

THey exit the hold and find a private docks. Ships await, it could hold five, it has only 2 still in. "I have ships, you see," the Baron says "The problem is a lack of Sailors."

He looks them over curious, with a practiced eye. Sailboats, motor boats, big schooners, small racing craft, sloops, barges?

"What is your purpose in setting out to sea? Reconnaissance, rescue, exploration, fishing, transport?"

Oh the Baron has a love of olderstyles, an elegant sloop that could be managed by one man in a pinch or hold five. It has an old dutch vibe to it

"This is a lovely little bit of craftmanship. If she's as seaworthy as she is elegant, she'll cut the waves nicely."

He asks a few informed questions - clearly this selkie knows the difference between a ketch, a yawl, and a schooner!

He answers, proud of the craftsmen who helped it, turns out one of his shipwright's is another Selkie (Not alone though, a boggan helped) but who is not a sailer by nature himself.

the second ship is much larger, and meant for a bigger crew

THAT takes him back, impressed. "You'd need more than captain and bosun for that ship. Why, you could fit half the barony on there in a pinch."

"THat is my problem" He admits "I am short of sailors and captains alike. I do not have experienced man power. Do you think either ship would be of interest or use to you? The mission includes rescue, yes, as well as scouting... but possible diplmomatic transport"

"I haven't much experience leading a massive crew-bearing ship of such grandeur. I could take over in a pinch and get her to shore, but where I shine is in a smaller craft, where I can feel the ebb and flow of the ocean around me."

He is not humble in stating what he knows, but doesn't put on false airs, either.

"The smaller craft is yet unnamed. I won it in contest, and the owner asked that I change her name for it was of an old love. I found it sentimental and silly but I obliged. It is yours to use if you do so in the Service of the Countess. Note, ownership is another matter"

A look to the Countess to see if she is well with this

He has knelt beside the small craft and is lightly running a hand along her hull.

There is glamour in her, no great treasure of legend here, but there is wonder in the working

Where a name once was, it has been sanded down

Jessica sees other kithain even out here. Who dare not approach such high ranks.

"That's very kind of you, Baron." she says "I haven't known Calder for more than a handful of days but he seems knowledgeable about these things. We'd need to leave it here of course; you're our port, after all."

"Of course" A nod "And he will be welcome given his new charge if he wishes it"

He stands and bows to the Baron. “When would you like me to start, Sir?”

"That is for the Countess to decide, but for now, get to know the ship. And name her if you want, I hear it is ill luck to go use an unnamed one? Is that the case?"

"Calder, you are your own man, you can start whenever you wish." Jess turns to the Baron "He was saying before we left Fenix that he wanted some thing purposeful to do; this is a good answer, I think."

"Very, it gives me another set of brave eyes and ears. I have other Selkies in my domain, but none have voiced a desire to risk their very lives as he has"

"Let's hope it stops at risking, if it even has to go that far."

"Indeed. I may send a thane along with him if he likes"

"That's up to him."

A brow but also a nod