Chapter 3: Silver Isle, Floating Market

If you haven't figures out. Nela is alcoholic. Mentioned many times she drinking from her metal flask. Side effect of her Ever Full Metal Flask of Rum. LOL It never runs out. And rum by the way is expensive stuff. Pirates must be making a killing to afford it.

Seeing some of the crew disembark but no sight of the captain, Pelner busies himself repairing the fabric of the envelope and removing it from the masts after its dried. After that task is completed he pulls his measuring sticks and parchment from his kit and starts drafting potential options for a more permanent storage/landing location for the hot air balloon.

After he completes the drafts with several options to present to the captain he waits patiently for the large minatour to emerge from his nap.

Zale stays on the ship and spends some time "meditating" with ale jug in hand. Later, he shows Pelner his brewing setup in the ship's hold adjacent to the galley, asking the vedalken for advice for improvements. Then, he helps Pelner taking down and repairing the cloth from the airship.

"What's that for?" he asks, peering at the schematics being drawn up. As he begins to understand, he strokes his chin. "Assuming the Captain agrees to it, we'll need lumber. And maybe hire some carpenters."

Nela doesn't spend a terrible amount of time out. A couple of hours. She arrives back with packages and has some stuff delivered. She can't help but be sure that Cap is going to flip when he sees all that material stretched out all over the place. Cap is a bit picky about HIS ship. Nela makes it a point to not get on Cap's bad side. She smiles as she knows Kitty is going to love his package. (Choice cuts of fresh meat. Even temps Nela to have some. She is just that way. Could be that diet of Goodberry.). She has her porter help with moving the stuff before she releases him to go. Not that she couldn't carry the packages of meat and the Keg. She rather not. She does have a few left over sticks of spice meats that she hasn't devoured yet.

She says as she directs the porter to carry the stuff to her cabin. She does warn him that if the tiger is in there, just put it outside the door unless you plan to feed it. And she wasn't referring to the choice meats. You know Cap is going to flip if you don't get that stuff down and hid away. with a stick of spice meat in her mouth.

Despite the fact Nela is easily tempted by alcohol, she has never partaked in the output of the ship's local distillery. Part of being a closet alcoholic. She has relied on her flask. Others might have gotten a bit thirsty as I'm sure the ship ran out of drink till we refilled at the last island. That and stuff out of the still probably should be marked XXX. Probably a bit stronger than even Nela's rum.

Still is like Nela's potion making, needs supplies. Right now she is out of supplies and she didn't pick any up while out. Brewed the last of her supply on the way sailing to the markets and didn't get more herbs and such. Besides she was WINDOW shopping. Did get her a new outfit. Not that it would help her looks much. Ugly is ugly.

She does plan to lure Kitty out of her room with the meat. As much as she does like her heated tiger blanket, nice to be able to see the floor once in a while. She sets up her Keg and such. And of course can't resist but to sample. See if it is as good as her flask.

While Astrias is meditating, she tries to be mindful of what is going on around her and takes occasional breaks to see if she can be helpful.

Pelner is fascinated by the construction of Zale's still. It's a completely different design than the ones he has seen and used in the past, he makes several suggestions on improvements that could enhance its efficiency. He also discusses the process he uses to distill the fuel for the burners of the hot air balloon and is interested in discussing those differences in the future as well.

Pelner is more than willing to include any extra hands with the packing and storing of the envelope and will describe the process that was used for building all of the component parts from the basket, the burners and the envelope.

Going over the preferred plan for adding a landing platform to the Kestrel. I was trained as a woodworker as part of my efforts to build my balloon so I should be able to perform the required joinery, but I don't want to begin any modifications to the ship without express permission from the captain.

"Modifications? What th' bloody hell are ye talkin' about, modifications?!" It seems Valrakas, uncharacteristically quiet as he stalked by, overheard part of what Pelner said. After he is shown the plans, something catches his eye. "Are those WEAPONS ye've got on that contraption o' yers? Are ye tellin' me this here be a fightin' rig? What else can that thing do? If I let ye join th' crew as Ship's Engineer, will ye fix th' Kestrel up? Make her leaner an' meaner?"

I can deploy a variety of turrets to any of the staging platforms built around the edge of the basket. As of yet I haven't had a need to deploy them but they are quite effective from the air. And as for the kestrel I believe I can add both aesthetic and functional modifications that would increase the battle readiness of the ship. Currently my Air balloon is subject to the prevailing winds but I have plans to add a propulsion system to turn it into a true dirigible. But even in its current capacity I can ascend several hundred feet above sea level and could serve as both ship engineer and advanced lookout if that would be amenable.

Gesturing with the diagrams and drawing in his hand toward the stern of the ship, If you would permit a small platform to be constructed off the stern I could store the balloon as well as have a safe lift and landing pad to avoid getting anything tangled in the rigging of your fine vessel.

The crafty minotaur licks his lips. "Ye've got yeself a deal," he says. "Ian, see to it... where th' bloody hell is Ian?! Zale. See to it. Get th' Engineer whatever he needs. An' don't be all day about it, savvy?"

About later in the afternoon, enough time for Nela to be slightly tipsy from testing her new bought drinks, she heads over to Pelner's cabin/room that Cap has no doubt assigned him. She lightly raps on the door, Hello?

Some time during the day Astrias seeks out Zale and asks him. "How is it that you all have come to know each other, and what is your objective?"

Zale helps Pelner in any way he can, but it's mostly procuring the lumber needed for the landing pad.

Later, when Astrias takes him aside, he replies, "Nela and the Captain, they go way back, from before I joined the crew. Honestly, with some of these guys, I don't know and I'm not sure if I want to know. To me, the important thing is we look out for each other.

"Our objective? After we fulfill our promise to Alcyestris and your king, I suppose we'll try to get back home. We don't know these waters - we don't belong here."

Astrias strokes her pointy chin. "I see. This artifact, I am still uncertain as to why Alcyestris fears it so. It must be indeed mighty. Can you tell me more of it? How did you come to possess it?"

"I don't believe it's fear. She seemed disgusted by it more than anything. A gang of merrows was using the artifact to control Alcyestris' young, Chelonax. I believe it has the power to control nearly any creature of the deep."

"And then she gave us this," Zale shows Astrias the other item.

After giving the list of lumber and other sundry items that will be needed to Zale. Pelner starts the organization process in the small cabin that the Captain has provided to the new ships engineer. Pelner really likes the sound of that!

Upon hearing the knock and call, he glances around the room making sure nothing is out that shouldn't be and opens the door. Oh, hello Nela, please come in! I know it in complete disarray but please come in.

Smiles, one that most don't probably care for. Way too many teeth and some drowl. I have heard that you have a way with wood. Probably now Pelner can see note well that Nela isn't normal in appearance. Your thought would be deformed. After making herself comfy, Can you turn a chunk of wood into something smaller? Obviously she is referring to cobbling down wood to an object. I can go ashore and get the wood if you can, but I wish no other to know of this. You know that I have gold. (LOL. Wood workers are paid in copper.)

I'm a trained and well practice woodworker. The level of detail and intricacy will determine how long it will take me, and I must warn that there are things that just can't be done with wood. But before we go into too much detail on that what did you have in mind? Pelner's eye's don't ever stop, they are constantly scanning the room and Nela's face and body language. He isn't nervous or even unsettled by her appearance just noting anything and everything going on around him.

She does her best to describe what she wish for Pelner to create. What she wishes is a table and a few chairs. The table is about 4" x 8" top and perhaps 3" high. Chairs to go with it. She is describing a large toy house table and chairs. But obviously that is a bit larger than your standard toy house set. As she explains what she wish, Pelner almost gets the feeling he is chatting with girl rather than a women from the way she says it all. She does mention that they will be drinking at her cabin later today. She has RUM. She says she isn't in a hurry to have objects made. And is big on the promise not to tell anyone. He can guess easily where she got the wood for this from.

She does offer you 3 gold coins. You do note the coins are rather shiny like the been rubbed well to be clean. You also notice that from the way she is handling the coin and such, her hands can't be right. Your not sure why but she just doesn't get coins out and give them to you like any normal person. It is more like she just dumped them in her hand from a pouch. Three coins must have been all that was in it. Then holds them out for you to take.

That is too much for this request, If you could procure for me 2 casks of lamp oil instead that would be more than enough payment. I will of course keep this commission in my closest confidence. For what you ask I can have them delivered to your room no later than tomorrow evening. I can make a small travel case for them if you would like or I can wrap them in canvas and put them in your room if your 'Kitty' would allow my presence. He pauses a moment Are you of feline origin? I have not come across a race such as yours in my travels...