Barbara
Camila Dwyer
Windrip Docks

The Dwyer servants moved the cage onto The Red Sun, bringing Xin down to the ship's cargo hold where he would stay, guarded by the crew members. The members of the crew were bringing barrels into the hold, not giving any direct attention to Xin, as advised by his handlers.

When the crew members were done storing the barrels, they closed the door behind them, leaving one armed with a cutlass behind to stay by the door to keep an eye on Xin.

The chattering Xin could hear coming from above him came to halt and a brief moment of silence took place before the men started cheering. While he wondered what the cheering was for, Xin could hear a woman faintly over the cheers..

** **

"Listen up! As we make the final preparations before we set sail, I'd like to thank you all for being a part of my crew! The Tider Bearer has blessed me with such a loyal and hard-working crew! We leave for the Mizzen within the hour to enjoy some festivities!" The cheers of the crew members only get louder once she is done speaking. 

The sounds of footsteps become louder and louder until Xin can hear speaking at the door. The guard opens the door and Camila walks in, stopping in front of Xin's cage, facing him. "Hello, Xin. I know your situation is less than ideal.. But I hope you will soon realize you're better off under my care than my brother's."
Dustin
Dagstygg Jarl
Southern Isles

The Vikingir had made work of charting areas of interest along their travels from the north, it had taken several days of sailing to travel from Northwind down to their current location, and nearly a week to travel from the home islands in the witherlands before that.

This was the farthest any of the far northern men of his culture had ever been, he was the first of his people to have ever set foot here and it was terribly foreign to them. The tides were warm, the air was salty but sweet, and colorful bird broke the green like blood on canvas. 

Tents had been set up for temporary encampment, this was no place to settle permanently, Dagstygg was sat with his wayfinder, a man named Hymskæggi. He was pointing at the map, as was the young Jarl. They were both using runic magic to form glowing lines along river paths on the map, and when one would disagree with the other, the line would fade away.
Lesia
Xin Tigerson 
Windrip Docks

Her approach was known long before he could hear her footsteps, her perfumed smell carried on the retreating sea winds filled his nostrils. That young woman that the fat man was afright of, Camila was her name. Xin realized he was to be of some use to her, or perhaps, entertainment of a sort. 

Domesticated humans are foul creatures, stinking ape things that entertain themselves at the misery of others. Though he knew they would assault him with blades sharper than his claws and teeth if he struck against them, so he tolerated the indignity, knowing that some day soon he would take his freedom by force.

She descended to the underside of the ship, her footsteps filling his ears as his pupils dilated in the darkness. "Woman understand. Cage can not hold. My choice to be here." He stuck his forearm through the bars and grabbed hold of the padlock with his hand. With a heave and a ripple of muscle he yanked the padlock hard enough to snap the pins inside with a loud metallic ping. 

But instead of pushing the bar door open, he released the lock and let it drop back into place. Then sat back against the wall, the thump of his bottom hitting the floor echoed heavily. "Where we going?"
Emma
Herin Farensun
Vikingr Encampment, Southern isles

The Vikingr had only recently arrived in the Isles, and under Herin's "Protection" Had found a place to settle, albeit temporarily. Herin was no fool, he couldn't yet trust these northern savages with the location of Libertalia, he might never be able to do that, but he also needed to keep them close at hand. This place worked well for now, on the edge of Maith's territory and out of the way of patrols, it kept the Vikingr out of sight but close enough to be useful. 

However, recently a few things had come to his attention that required him to take matters into his own hands. 
As his ship put down it's anchor, Herin looked out onto the collection of tents and fires that made up the Vikingr encampment. These were a primitive people, yet useful in their own way. 

Stepping ashore, his guards made sure no one disturbed him as he made his way through the camp. Next to the skins and brown rags worn by Dagstygg's people, Herin's crimson jacket stood out like a drop of blood on white canvas. He could feel their eyes on him, judging him, weighing him up like starving jackals gazing hungrily at a wolf. 
Finally, he found his way to Dagstygg's tent. Ignoring the words of the man standing guard, he shoved his way past the man and entered Dagstygg's abodes. 

"Jarl. We need to talk." Herin's voice was deadly serious, his tone only made darker by the metallic echo of his mask.
Dustin
Dagstygg Jarl
Souther Isles

He waved off his wayfinder to give Herin and him solitude, the behemoth of a man would fall into a seat and lean foreward slightly, taking a drink from a capped drinking horn hainging from his waist.

He never understood the flashy attire of the pirate lord before him, not *Because* It was flashy, but the style of it. The Vikingar used any excuse to embroider clothing with jewelery, enchantments or carvings, so the idea of "Fancy" Was not unknown to him, it was just... A different kind.

"Hail, pirate king. What can I do for you?"
Barbara
Camila Dwyer
Windrip Docks

Camila watched as Xin snapped the pins inside of the padlock. She looked at the feral man, studying his body language, the way he spoke, and his appearance. Camila knew this was going to be no easy task but she was determined to fulfill her promise to her brother. 

"The Mizzen, on Tonate Proper. There is a festival taking place and I thought it'd be nice to let my crew enjoy themselves a bit." She took a few steps to the side and opened a barrel. She took a mug and dipped it inside the barrel, filling it with water before closing the barrel up again. She slid the mug through the bars and placed it on the floor.

"Believe me, keeping you locked in the hold is not my wish. I'd love to let you freely roam the ship freely, but you're a dangerous man, Xin. I hope one you could take a liking to me, or least tolerate me. But for now I understand why you may dislike me."

The man guarding the door peaked his head through the door and asked Camila if she was almost ready to set sail. She replied, "Yes just give me another minute with Xin, please."
Emma
Herin Farensun
Vikingr Encampment

Instead of respond to Dagstygg straight away, Herin walked the perimeter of the tent, looking at the walls, the decorations, the maps and charts that lay strewn about. Only once he had taken in all that was there did he finally speak.

"Hail, Jarl of the Vikingr. I see your people have made camp here? In such short time as well, your people truly are hardier than most."

Herin had received word from his scouts only days ago of multiple ships of Vikingr design heading towards clan Maith waters. From what they had told him, it was clear what the purpose of those ships was, a raiding party.
Herin had also noticed a suspicious lack of Dagstygg's sister, which was quite strange, she wasn't the type to hide. He doubted she could even if she wanted to, she was nearly as big as Dagstygg and twice as loud. All the screaming and chanting these people did... Herin had no idea why, it didn't seem to serve any tactical advantage besides maybe moral, though he certainly didn't feel encouraged by their guttural yowls. 

"I got word that some of your ships are... Away, shall we say." Herin said, running his finger along the map on the table. If it was a map of the Isles, it could have used some work. He made a mental note to send Dagstygg some of the Raiders charts, though none of the ones that included Libertalia. 
"Would you mind enlightening me as to the purpose of these ships? The ones your sister took, I mean." 
He didn't know for sure that she was the one leading this raid, but it made sense. Bloodlust like hers could only be contained so long, and when it was released it was volatile. That was dangerous, and more importantly, could risk his plans. Dagstygg he could work with, his bloodlust was tempered with the caution of a leader, but Kolga was an entirely different beast. A zealot who thirsted for blood, she would either have to be muzzled or put down before she threatened Herin's designs for the isles.
Lesia
Xin Tigerson
Windrip Docks

He stretched out his leg and hooked the handle of the mug with his toe and pulled it closer, when it was in arms reach he grabbed it and lapped up a couple sips like a cat does. After a few moments of pregnant silence he said plainly. "Festivities are glamour with no purpose. Wasting goods for fun while poor starve." 

He took a couple more sips. "Bread and circus keeps mob fat and content." There was a note of derisiveness to his tone, in the face of the family's wealth.
Dustin
Dagstygg Jarl
Southern Isles

"Ships? I don't recall any being taken off. Kolga sent a scouting party eastward by sea, however she has made way north on foot, our clans are hungry. She is on a raid and should be returning soon, as far as I am aware..."

He stands up and steps out of the tent, a raven lands on his shoulder and delivers a small note. He didn't have time to read it in its entirety before the marauding clan of his sister would come marching across the horizon behind them. They brought the stench of death and blood with them, but more importantly they brought goods and larder. Many of the men had heads dangling from their belts.

"It seems your question has been answered."
Barbara
Camila Dwyer
Windrip Docks

Camila brushes a piece of her hair out of her face, "Festivities give people something to look forward to, a break from their hard-working lifestyle for a small time." 

The man guarding the door opened it up, allowing her to walk out. She reached the frame of the door before turning her head back to the feral man. "And Xin, I know what you may be thinking... I may be small but don't underestimate me, I want to like you, don't make me regret that.." She nodded her head before walking out the door.

The guard closed the door behind her. She turned to him, giving him an order, "He's capable of much more than you think. I'll come check on him later but until I get the ship up and going I'm going to need you to stay here. If he tries to escape, go get some backup, but I do not want him dead, understand?" The guard nodded his head, taking his position to the side of the door.
Emma
Herin Farensun
Vikingr Encampment

So it wasn't a raiding party by sea. Apparently his spies were a bit... Overzealous with their description of the Vikingr ships. It seemed as if he should have focused his attention towards the land, as that was where these fools apparently had focused their rage. Underneath his mask, Herin gritted his teeth. 
"Tell your sister to get in here. Now." Herin growled. He was so caught up in his anger, he didn't even stop to wonder what the purpose of the Raven was if Kolga was about to return any second. 

"Both of you apparently need to learn your place in the Isles." Herin muttered, sitting down at the table across from Dagstygg. He rubbed the temple of his mask, these people were weapons, true, but could Herin use then without cutting himself in the process?
Lesia
Xin Tigerson
Windrip Docks

With the woman's fright filled boast completed and the guard positioned, Xin had not much more to say. But when the Guard first set eyes on Xin, he whistled in an inclining tone and then bared his teeth in a wolfish grin at the man. Then went silent, the only sound being the saliva inside his mouth squelching slightly as he lapped up more water from the cup.
Barbara
Camila Dwyer
Windrip Docks

Camila returned to the deck, whistling to gain her crew's attention. "Let's get ready! I want the sails lowered and the flag raised so we can raise the anchor!"

The men went straight to their posts, doing exactly as she asked. Camila and her crew had a mutual respect for one another, she had hand picked her crew from people she had known since she was a girl. The crew was more of a family to her.

Soon the sails were lowered and angled towards the wind, the flag was raised and gently waving in the breeze, the Dwyer sigil glowing as the sun hit it. She yelled out, "Raise the anchor! It's time for a journey to the Mizzen, boys!"
Dustin
Dagstygg Jarl and Kolga Jarlskona
Southern Isles
Vikingar encampment

Dagstygg turned his eyes to Kolga, he wasn't sure why Herin was referring to *Him* As he hasn't done anything too drastic, possibly it was to avoid offending his sister. However by the look on his face it was obvious he didn't disagree.

"With all due respect Herin. I have yet to do anything that may jeopardize our work here, and my sister here was tending to the needs of our people, we require materials. However... You are right in your own respect, we must find other ways of obtaining what we need, rather than raiding villages as is custom to our clans. You follow a fickle god, Kolga. But you cannot always please Ófriðr, you must think of your allies. Of your clan. Of me."

Kolga seemed less than impressed. She wasn't angry, but definately annoyed. Her chilling voice would come out as a bark once she finally gave her input.

"Fine. This raid will be enough to sate our blood god for the time being. What is it you propose we do now then, Sunnlendingur? I don't suppose you'll want us to take up farming."

It would seem she would now be adressing Herin. While she listened to him, she grabbed one of the heads she took off a villager and toss it to her wolves, Hausbrjótr would slam his jaws around it with a sickening crunch, and Striðsdreki would begin to fight with his counterpart over the matter that spilled from it.
Lesia
Xin Tigerson
Casting To Sea

The hustle and bustle of a crew making a ship ready to go to sea was a rhythmic mess of footfalls and creaking wood. Admittedly, Xin felt it very similar to the sound of trees in the jungle on a windy day. Like bamboo clattering against itself while great trees creak and sway.

Xin yawned thinking of home once again, feeling a nostalgic sense wash over him as his eyelids felt heavy. The darkness of the hold was not helping his efforts to resist sleep.

His eyes shut and his muscles relaxed. Before he slept he pushed the half full cup of water to the corner of the cage, so as not to spill it while he slept.
Emma
Herin Farensun
Vikingr Encampment 

Upon hearing Dagstygg's words, Herin chuckled to himself, shaking his head. He stood from his seat, looking at the twin Vikingr leaders. Behind his mask, he gritted his teeth, and directed his attention at Kolga.
"Question Kolga, did you kill everyone in that village?" Herin asked, his voice colder than the most frigid northwind nights. "Rhetorical question, you didn't, because that would require a deal of forethought and tactical acumen clearly not present within you." 
Herin might have been the smallest by far between the three of them, but his sheer presence seemed to fill the entire room. He moved slowly, deliberately, like a snake coiling around it's prey, and now the serpent made it's way towards Kolga.
"Right now, the survivors of your ill-planned raid have already discovered your camp and have sent men for help, because in your infinite wisdom, you decided to raid a village on the same Island you made camp on. You can walk across this whole place in a day, you really thought you'd be hidden here? Before, they would have no reason to do anything, you were simply a strange band of foreigners, now you're an invasion force."

Herin opened the tent flap, gesturing to the supplies they had brought back with them. Mostly wood and raw materials, most of it from houses, of all things. Herin turned back to Kolga, his mask showing none of the anger beneath. 
"And what did you gain from this? Wood, the same thing that's quite literally everywhere on the Isles. Your whole camp is surrounded by trees, did you really not think to chop a few of those down before you went right to a killing spree?"

Herin glared at Kolga, then turned his back to her.
"What do I propose you do? Nothing, do nothing until I say you should. You are strangers here, you do not know this land, or it's people. You are here at my behest, so listen to me when I say you should do nothing unless I tell you to do it. As for farming... That requires an intelligence beyond you, Kolga. Stick to what you know, lashing out like a child."
Dustin
Kolga Jarlskona
Southern Isles
Vikingar Encampment

"And what do you think a bunch of Sudurlendingar are going to do against us? A coward hides from its enemy. I'd wager maybe five men survived our raid, and thats being optimistic. Wood was not our only target, we have brought food to our people. Food we will need. And we never remain in place for long, I can garuntee this camp of ours will be gone within fourty eight hours. As for how you see me, pirate king. You would be wise not to insult me. I am a Jarlskona for a reason, it is rare to find *Anyone* Who can be successful on bloodshed alone, and in our culture, the cost of disrespect is death. We share a common goal. Do not make an enemy of me and my brother."

Dagstygg turned to his sister and interjected as she spoke

"That may be so, Kolga, but you have to think in the long term. Do we really *Want* To be constantly on the move? Your clan is half the size of mine. Moving a thousand men on a constant basis is a chore. As your older sibling I will expect you to follow our order. I may have called you for assistance but I know you were waiting for my call, and now that you are here you will not give up on the opportunity."
Emma
Herin Farensun
Vikingar Encampment

Herin locked eyes with Kolga as she spoke. In truth, his anger did not stem simply from her tactical blunders, but from what she was. She was everything he feared he might be, a raving child, driven only by bloodlust and hate. She too seemed to think of herself as a god, or at least as serving one, and Herin had to wonder, was this his fate? Were all who claimed to be holy nothing more than raving lunatics, their minds broken under the weight of their own ego? He would not be like her, he swore to himself, he would not be like those who came before. He wanted to convey all of that, to shout it to the world, but the best he could do was a steely glare and Kolga and a few harsh words.
"Jarlskona? You are mistaken Kolga, you are not anything here. Up North, you might have been a Jarlskona, but here? You are nothing more than a raider dressed in strange armor with a penchant for chanting. If you want to make something of yourself, then you need to do more than randomly lash out like a madwoman." 

Reaching into his pocket, Herin withdrew a small map of the surrounding isles. On it had been marked multiple ports, farms, and small shipyards owned by House Maith.
"But if you need to sate your bloodlust, use this. A map of House Maith targets for you to plunder and destroy to your hearts content. My only request is that you burn it to the ground when you leave. Oh, and make sure to leave no survivors."
Barbara
Camila Dwyer
Southern Isle Seas

The Red Sun was up and sailing, the breeze ever so slightly making the Dwyer sigil wave. A few of the men broke into a tune of the great Tide Bearer as they worked and maintained the sails, the rest of the crew gradually joined in and even Camila herself couldn't help but sing along with her new friends. 

The ship was set on path towards The Mizzen. Camila walked up to one of her most loyal crew members and asked him a favor. "Mind making sure the wheel stays straight while I go check on the feral? I need to make sure the guard down there isn't lying on the floor dead." The crew member agreed and Camila headed down to the hold.

She walked into the hold and saw the man laying on the floor sleeping. It was a bit surprising he had not attempted anything. She walked to the other end of the hold and grabbed a wooden bowl, popping a couple pieces of meat into the bowl and returning back to the cage.
Dustin
Dagstygg Jarl and Kolga Jarlskona

Dagstygg seemed to have a deep thought after Herin spoke. He stepped to the entrance of the tent and watched as a storm was rolling in the distance. 

"Herin is right. We have no claimants here, and thus we are not seen as lords to anyone aside from our clans. I have no land even in our home islands, thanks to Konung Berahild.

In the mean time, I have plans to conduct a sea raid. I have become aware of shipping lanes that no doubt belong to our esteemed southern king. And I feel scuttling a ship would be far less costly, and far more profitable than swarming into a village..."

Kolga seemed to be settling her temper as she glazed over the map. She then folded it up and tucked it into her belt. With a snort and a spit, which consisted mostly of blood, she nodded, glancing back at Herin.

"Now you are speaking my language, Sudurlandingr."