After being swept off course in a terrible storm which very nearly capsized the seagoing vessel, the Hydronomus finally arrived at her destination.  The great ship had taken extensive damage and was being repaired but one of the mermaids who served as a scout popped up from beneath the surface and acknowledged that the City of Depths was below.  An island, not far away, served as a port and it was to that bit of land that the ship, with a small crew of 42 human Amalorian females and futas, was inexorably headed.<br/><br/>Captain Nyla, who was in charge of the Hydronomus, barked out orders harshly as the crew tried to keep up.  The Hydronomus was an older warship which had been quickly modified so as not to look as such.  This was meant as a peaceful mission, after all, and it would not suit the Tyrant Queen's purposes to get off on the wrong foot with a pointless skirmish with the sea-dwellers.<br/><br/>"Captain, there's water leaking in belowdecks, are we going to make it to the island in time?"  Narina asked, not sure about the ship's seaworthiness.<br/><br/>"There's always some water coming in somewhere on a leaky old tub like this.  You ask me, we should have scuppered her years ago and Elissandra should have sent you in a cutting edge ship-of-the-line!  Now that would impress these barbarian lizards!  Go in with a show of force!"  Nyra replied, thumping a wooden railing in frustration.<br/><br/>"No, I daresay that might risk sending the wrong message, my good captain, such is not our mission."  Narina explained, patiently.<br/><br/>"But to send YOU, the highest ranking priestess of the Twelve Divines, into these dangerous foreign islands in a leaky old broken down ship like the Hydronomus...it's an insult!"  Nyra angrily spat.<br/><br/>"Do not question Elissandra's orders in my presence, Captain Nyra."  the High Preistess said, evenly, a hint of a threat in her voice.  "We do as our Tyrant Queen commands and live only to serve Amalor."<br/><br/>"Yes...yes...I just wish we didn't have to do it wallowing into port in this broken-down warship from my great grandmother's era, that's all."  Nyra exclaimed.<br/><br/>"This journey is not about your pride, Captain Nyra, it is about establishing peace with the City of Depths and strengthening Amalor's position in the region.  Do not forget that."  Narina replied, slowly walking over to the mast and looking out across the sea at the island in the distance.<br/><br/>"We should make port by nightfall, provided this scow holds together.  She wasn't built to take storms like that and probably can't take another, repairs or not."  Nyra said, her eyes roving over the High Priestesses' gorgeous perfectly-shaped ass.<br/><br/>"I wonder what the males are like.  I've heard the City of Depths is ruled by reptile men...and that they are quite...<em>well-endowed</em>.  It might be interesting to see for myself if those rumors are true or not."  Narina remarked, catching the captain's gaze out of the corner of her eye.<br/><br/>"Pfahhh....they are beasts, Holy One...I doubt they even have the required equipment."  Nyra growled, bristling at the suggestion.<br/><br/>"Well, I do recall seeing some stone images of the ancient Reptile Men from the Second Age and they were quite huge indeed."  Narina grinned sadistically teasing the easily-flustered captain.<br/><br/>"Fehhh...do as you like.  I have a ship to run."  Captain Nyra shot back, storming off, taking out her frustration on the hapless crew.<br/><br/>Narina headed over to the side, eager for more news from Shalissa, their Amalorian mermaid scout, but she hadn't resurfaced in some time.<br/><br/>