Back Story

Hold, Hold, Hold. That’s about all I know girl. I have been searching for a long time and finally have come across this information. I know more that you will need to know to use the map so don’t you be double crossing me.

She sighs. Perhaps she looks fainter than normal. The dusk is gone and her eyes were glowing yellow, until they weren’t. There was enough torch light on deck that you could see her eyes wink out and stare at you without pupils.

Uhti

The thin frame of the captain was rigid and her voice had turned raspy.

Uhti, bring ME the ivory codex you seek. Ask Dukalu about Nachilan.

The captain regains her composure and released the wheel, dizzy. She sees you standing next to her and ruffles her feathers, Now skoot!

Not wasting a second, Kitsune takes that as an opportunity to leave the captain's presence. "What in Qotal's name was that?" she wondered, trying to think of anything she might be able to recall about races who can do what she'd just witnessed. As she thinks, she slowly makes her way towards the ship's kitchen to see if dinner is ready.

Once in the kitchen, Kit sees that food is ready for eating. She grabs a plate and heads straight for Dukalu. She doesn’t know him, but instinct so far says she can trust him. She sits down beside him and smiles shyly, "Ahoy, I met the captain. She’s an interesting person." She leans closer as she asks, "What race is she? She looks human, but I saw some weird thing happening to her eyes earlier that was certainly not your typical human trait."

Good evening to ye. You could tell from his manner that he was truly pleased to see you come straight to him. His smile is contagious. No doubt he would tell all he knows without deceit or conceit.

Talking about race is a touchy subject especially on a pirate ship full of social misfits and bastards, eh boys?!?

Aye! came the cheer from the crew.

And I am sure there is some interesting story behind those yellow eyes of hers, but who dares ask her?

He gets up to grab the grog bottle off the peg, to another cheer by the crew. He passes you the drink and then hands it to each and everyone, conforming to his ration.

Kitsune looks around at everyone confirming what Dukalu was saying. She smiles as she takes the grog from him and begins to dine on her meal.

She giggled lightly before looking at Dukalu, "Ye make a good point. Why not tell me about yourself then?" she asked as she blinked slowly, letting her eyes slowly rise to meet his with a shy smile on her face. A well practiced look, but for once, it wasn't done intentionally. For once, she was genuinely interested in someone's story; not for the need to know to use information, but out of actual curiosity.

He melts into his chair. My story eh? Just a poor country poor raised in the city and then making his way back to his roots. What of it?

He smiles. He does enjoy the attention, especially from you. You immediately see the shy timid boy that you have seen in private conversation disappear and become the first mate, self assured, in front of his band of compadres. He uses his undeniable charisma well to be a leader, a protector of brothers, and a point of stability on this ship.

My country is Payit where I used to run joyously barefoot to the green song. Food forests of mighty kapok and breadfruit, papaya and banana abound in that country, swales collecting fertility and giving back all manner of fruit and vegetables. Qotal's gift of maize fills the fields and its other two sisters, the legume and the squash, they dance hand in hand together like the divine sisters Watil and Nula and Eha in the wild lands. Farming Payit is where I would be now had I not had a High Priest of Qotal as a father and a Priestess of Kiltzi, goddess of love and beauty, for a mother. I was sent to train as an Eagle Knight in Qotal's temples, though I never made it through the apprenticeship. They educated me though, and I can still do one trick of plumacasting.

He pulls out a feather from his bag and drops it from high onto the table, except that it floats down and hovers inches away from the cabu wood table instead. He then places his dagger's tip down onto the feather and let the two adjust until the feather was still, balancing the knife with its handle in the air. Polite but loving applause came from the crowd. They had seen this trick.. a few times.

He smiles at you, just because he couldn't help it. He perused your hair, and gazed at you every time you made that gentile lift of your dark eyes up into the light. His eyes were always there and darted away. Though he was performing, he was a captive audience. You knew you could get this reaction from a man in any number of ways. The genuineness of your request and its response in him was making a connection that you have always tired to resist, but have failed many times. Had he? Tried to resist? Or failed? You could not read him while he had his face with which he showed everyone everything, but one person nothing.

Dulaku turned to pass another round. An elderly fellow that may have been sipping his own drink from under the table got a bit too tipsy and leaned against you. He was sincerely apologetic in his stupor and goes to say he's sorry, but only manages to say Uhti with pupil-less eyes. He turns back and laughs, reaching his cup up for Dukalu to pour into. You quickly look around. No one saw what you saw.

"Uhti.... What in the world is this 'Uhti'??" she wonders for a moment. "The glowing eyes... the strange word... this man, the captain, even the bird all used it... could it be an enchantment the crew is under?" She pondered this thought and realized that if it was, she'd probably find out when she went to lead the captain's crew.

In the mean time, she shrugged off what happened and decided to enjoy the night with the crew, mainly Dukalu, chatting the night away until bedtime. Then... she'd have a late night stroll while the rest slept.

Awake my child into the night that tricks the mind but saves the soul. Welcome Uhti.

Startled and not knowing what's happening, she exclaims, "What is this? Who are you? What's happening?!" She almost frantically looks around trying to see what's going on. Typically, things don't catch her off guard often, but this was a whole new level of stranger things happening.

Where did that chant come from? How did she know it? Who is this person she sees? What is her body doing? Where are the two seamen? Can they hear and see this too? She doubted that last one to be possible, but at the moment, she was more scared than she'd ever been in her life. All calm and charm was gone and for a moment, she was almost like a child. She wanted to run and hide in a corner, she felt nothing like herself.

The fear didn't keep her from trying to understand what was happening though.

You have not been yourself your whole life, Uhti. Now you are indeed a child and I am here at your bidding to raise you into your power. You wished to find yourself and your power the very moment you stepped onto that ship, yes? Why child did you not ask Dukalu about Nachilan as I bade you? Are you protecting him from his pain? You were there to heal him of it, to aid the whole of Maztica.

"What.... what even is Nachilan? Why will it pain him?? What is this purpose you're referring to?!"

I’m sorry Kitsune. I’m rushing you into this. You have too many questions to accept it all. I understand. It is your choice to have the trickster powers or live your life free of its bonds. Uhti is not yet ready to rise in you.

Dukalu and I share a sad story in a way. Mine part is too old and sorrowful for you to comprehend right so I was hoping you could understand his part, so you could at some small part appreciate what we need to do.

I’ll leave you now. You know where I am. I love you as a part of me, but your body cannot stand this connection this long..."

You wake in a rush, your physical body being pressed up against Dukalu’s warm chest, his great arms protective and comfortable around you and under your knees, his hand firm on your hip. There is a rampage of activity as the crew, Poca and even the Captain are rushing you into the mess room Dukalu gently lays you in the table and Paco looks into your eyes with a gemstone at his forehead. "She back," he pronounces and the room sighs relief.

Kit is breathing fast, almost panting as she looks around and tries to grab her bearings. She tries to sit up... oh her head... her whole body! She feels as if she's been awake for a fortnight of rigorous activities, she's not sure if she's ever felt this exhausted! And it felt like someone took a maul to her head!

She finally focuses in on her surroundings and sees the whole crew in the room, even the captain, and is surprised. Almost nervous to hear the answer, she settles her eyes on Dukalu and says, "Not that I mind having all eyes on me, but this isn't exactly what I expected... do I want to know what happened?"

He looks at you with concern. You see he wants to assure you that everything is fine, but he tells you, The watchmen were having a good time with you. They say you were funny and flirtatious, that you were performing for them, doing imitations of the crew. They were totally enthralled. Then your jokes got serious. Even desperate, they said. You starting chanting and summoning.. He takes your hand in his, Kit, your eyes disappeared.