<em>The Lady's Blessinng</em>wasn't one of the rougher taverns in the port city of Valdalius, but it was far from the the quality establishment that well to do merchants and lower nobility were to frequent.    There was a bit of an rustic simplicity to its surroundings, with wood dust sprinkled about the floor, the scent of strong ale mingled with the beeswax that was used to polish the tables.   Yet it was that same simplicity that called to the regular patrons, the crew of vessels that bustled in and out of the active port day in and out, from the large fishing vessels that bring in the fresh crop of rock crab that Valdalius was famous for throughout the Empire, to the Imperial Navy that had their barracks located in the city.<br/><br/>Among the later was a select sect of the Navy, for Valdalius was one of three cities in the Empire that marked it as unique.   It was one of the three ports that had Star Dancers, the wondrous ships that were able to sail the sky and the Black Void of the Expanse, bringing to Azureth exotic trade goods of the like never seen before.  The technology used in the creation of these unique vessels was not new, as Star Dancers had been around for decades now, but the Expanse was vast, and it seemed every year, every month, even every day there was something new and fascinating being traded for in the markets of Valdalius.<br/><br/>Importing trade was not the only the only interest of the Empire of White Light.   Like any vast political power, it wanted to make its mark on other cultures.   So the Ministry of Trade gathered and organized trade expeditions to sail among the void, bringing the culture and presence of Azureth to others, and more importantly, wealth and profit to the Empire.    Trade was the life blood of the Empire and other nations out in the Expanse, and as such it attractive for those that plowed the Void for easy prey.<br/><br/>It was due to this new threat of piracy that caused the Imperial Navy to invest in Star Dancers of their own.  Fast, sleek airship that could rain death and destruction to the enemies of the Empire.    While the crew of such vessels were not the elite of the Empire, they were not a distance second for the risks and dangers they faced.   After all the Empire had been tamed for well over five centuries an had not faced a serious threat to its security in that time, but the Void and Expanse was new, wild, unknown, and the risks the crews of those sky ships faced every day earned them a measure of respect throughout the Empire.<br/><br/>It was how the crew of the<em>Emerald Wind</em>found itself at the best table in<em>The Lady's Blessing</em>enjoying good, if not the house best ale.  More than one patron in the Tavern owed their lives to the<em>Emerald Wind</em>, and some there also knew that their ship was once more on escort duty for the trade fleet.    As such the crew received more than its fair share of attention from the serving staff, and the courtesans that made the<em>Blessing</em>their own.    Perhaps more than many patrons wished.  The later was a minority to be sure, but it was present for any with a careful eye.