A Twist of the Tongue
Third Day of Elnu-Hamba (Elnu Descendent), 1349 A. L. (After Landfall)
Feet firmly planted atop a wide flat stone, a stage wrought of the bones of the earth you speak to the company you had gathered. Among the bearded faces festooned with bright rings, of bronze, of grass, of silver and of polished stone for those who had not yet been fortunate enough to gain glory in war or mastery in some trade some are wrathful, some are stunned by the suddenness of the battle and the loss of their lord. But all heed you just the same 'giant slayer' they call you and 'drowned one's bane', words of glory, in the halls of the Anwa words of power sure as any spell.
"Weep for the dead, but do not keep them first in your thoughts wile there is work yet for the living to do!" Where the words come from you do not wholly know, but there is a chill breath on the nape of your neck that is not wholly the cold night air. "You have seen here the dead raised against life in slavish service of the damned, you have seen such men as seek out that befouled company. Ware for they are not dead, but fled, ware that there are others like them deceived or wicked and they gather by night and by day. If we tarry it is to their profit and if we make haste than we might yet find shelter behind the walls of those who like you would not give in to the dark."
By now you had expected a denial, anger perhaps that you would deny the fallen their last rites and press them to march on from battle with such haste, but there is none and so yous say on: "Bear the dead onward from his place, the sea waits with every turn of the tides, every tug of the moon, do now the work of Ikomi in life and she shall not think ill of you in death aye even if you should be left fallen upon the field with eyes staring to the sky, you will be known to her and borne up!"
As you speak the proclamation, the promise dark as it is solemn, born not of your own mind but perhaps of Inge's prayer before you had spoken the first word all about you there are cheers, from the weary and from those wounded not as much as to need magic, but most of all from those who seek vengeance.
The ships sail on, near as they dare come to the coast and on the shore you march. Only about an hour later you are at the gates of Apatagiga and find them barred against you.... and in particular your company out of Orinyiya, whose reputation precedes them it seems. An arrow arches over the wall, then another and another, not meant to strike but to give warning.
"What have you to so here you sons of whores?" one voice, rasping with age but still more than loud enough to be heard.
"I come Lady of the Land and your rightful Queen, not Obari who squats in the halls of our fathers which he has besmirched with blood!" Aina proclaims boldly.
"If ye be who ye claim to be..."
Not an auspicious start that. "Stained with blood those halls were from the Redman's days and now you come in the company of reavers and killers whose lord bent the neck to the same woke. Why should we open our gates to that company, break bread and take salt with them?"
"Because they have slain some among the enemy already and laid to rest the giant whom they had befouled," Aina answers boldly stepping closer to the gate... and well within the reach of their arrows. "Come with us, come with us south to Iggoolu and thence to face the anjo oru and take back our island from the one who is No One... for he is not by brother and he is no son of the King Who Was."
What goes on behind the walls of the village you know not but in the end some men emerge armed for war as best they can be. Some bear shields of bronze and spears also, but most of them are armed with stone and their shields of wicker, farmers and fishers more than warriors, but at elast they more than make up for the loss at the battle, three times over almost.
Gained 94 Warriors
Here at last Negu is laid to rest into the embrace of the sea, even if it is in the company of some who would not weep to see his passing and then you continue on your march along the coast, this time you do not sing, but walk in near silence, listening to the hushed voices of the locals as they give news of the islands.
Even before the fleet of Lirman had been sighted the loyal lords were called to the capital to renew their oaths it was said, though the folk of Apatagiga, it seemed at first without consequence, but then the winged horrors had come and the giant had fallen. They had been left in the grip of fear like a rabbit in a snare. A wonder that Aina was able to find the words to call forth the embers of bravery to flame...
And you might need that boldness soon. Fog is rolling in over the sea, though Inge's prognostication had shown no sign of it this morning.
"They are coming for the fleet," Zaia says what all of you had been thinking.
The shore in this part of the island is not soft sand but craggy stones so that the longships cannot put o shore without peril, but against such power as commands the weather they might need to. The fleet has only Ohun able to match magic against magic.
What do you propose?
[] Try to get the mages back aboard the fleet
[] Stay as you are, lest you be attacked from the landward side
[] Write in
OOC: Diplomacy rolls are again your jam and apparently Aina's as well. 
