The Society of Explorers gears up their caravel, the Boundless Venture, for a long voyage towards Brightshore. Food, water, and supplies are stacked within the holds, along with adventuring gear and equipment. Lou has put together a team of people to aid with the journey, with several skilled in seamanship and one of the Faith to help guide their path to this new-to-them location.

Lou, at least, spends many nights praying at the various shrines of the Gods, to ensure a speedy journey, and safe and protected passage. Gifts are put together for the hosts of Brightshore, to help ease entry onto the island. Lou has worked tediously to map the location of the island based on the directions given in the information they've found (@clue 3661 - The Southern Route to Eurus and @clue 3717 - Landing in the Southern World), as well as with Wash and Ian's knowledge of the constellations from their vast years of sailing experience.

They go to Brightshore to determine of the island is a viable resupply stop on the way to Eurus and to work out any details or considerations that may be needed for any ship to use the island as a place to stop. Their information is 200 years out of date, and it has been assumed people have long since stopped using the southern route to Eurus for quite some time. They also go to see what dangers might lurk for those traveling along the way.

Their ultimate goal is to be able to bring back as much information as possible about Brightshore and the prospects of using the island to start using the southern route once more, should it be deemed a viable option of travel to Eurus. Adventure Awaits!

OOC: Using the Explorer's ship, of course, is dependent on if the Whirlpool in Arx is resolved by the time they are ready to set sail. If the Whirlpool is still in place by the time of final submission (which we believe will take 2 months to complete, give or take), we'll make arrangements to use a different ship and the write up will change to reflect this new information.

Also, due to code restrictions, several players had to toggle no-attend so we could submit the action, but we're all approved to attend per @request 21785. And Ezra will join the action once the AP requirement is added. He ran out of AP this week.

Wash will be taking the Candlelight's Promise with Lou. This gives their armada a little extra staying power with a second Caravel. he has a crownsworn crew (because this is not a Kennex vessel) but he'll be happy to take passengers as well.

Ian will be accompanying Lou to Brightshore, helping with the sailing of the caravels as needed, even to the point of serving as captain to one of them if he's the most suited to do so. He's especially interested in coming out of the trip with a strong sense of exactly where Brightshore is and how to get there, and he will be keeping a close eye on the surroundings during the trip.

Shae has been asked by her patron, Princess Lou, to join her on this extremely extraordinary, and once in a lifetime sort of adventure, and exploration. One that Shae is excited to be a part of, not only for the chance to possibly find an island that has been been visited in likely hundreds of years.

But also the chance to see a new and wondrous place. To meet new people, and possibly find new flora and fauna that has not been seen or heard of in Arvum. And to be honest, that is really what has Shae's excitement. The chance to find and meet new animals, to learn about them and study them, as well as the flora of the island, too.

Of course along the ocean journey to find the island, Shae will put her keen perception, and survival skills to use to help. From helping to find stars, to navigate by them. As well as keeping any eye out for any signs of possible danger to them.

All it takes is a bit of faith and trust . . . and preparations. Legate Ailith is no stranger to voyages or adventures into the unknown. As one of the few who embarked on finding the 'People of the Waves', known now also as the Marin'alfar, voyages into the sea carry all kinds of superstitions. As she had then to lend aid to their travels, Ailith shall guide the two disciples--Baroness Shae of Petrichor, Lady Mercy Azova in a prayer for the grace of the Pantheon, focusing upon each of the four triads. The three shall offer pour holy water held by the sacred, Ewer of Gods Love [crisis action 3947] over the side of the vessel. Four pours, one per triad, and a devotion of love for each triad --For where there is Faith and Trust, the light of their beliefs can guide them toward where adventures awaits.

She will provide a steady and calming influence, counseling any during the voyage, and leading nightly prayers or services as needed (excluding what she holds for herself being orthodox born). Included in her trove are tiny medicines -- lemon drops and soothing teas for stomach ailments and minor afflictions, but more or less, leaving the majority of healing in the capable hands of Mother Mercy Sophie (having asked her to assist with supplies) and Lady Mercy Azova. Also included is her lantern, lit by the Eternal Flame of Lagoma, and used to guide Orazio through the Wastes and herself through the Gyre War.

Knowing that Brightshore is named for its flowers and foliage, Ailith relies upon the Crown, Lodge of Petrichor, Archlector Brigida, Dame Leola, and Petrichor's and Mangata's disciples to acquire a flowers and foliage from Arvum to be presented as a gift to Brightshore's inhabitants -- an Avrum collection meant to highlight the gifts bestowed upon the gods and by the hard work of its farmers and faithful. One such flower added is a white bud said to hail from the mountains of the Northlands. It is a flower Ailith requested since the Gyre War: these flowers bloomed in the cold region, seen when the gods warned her of the Gyre, and ever since have praised these flowers as a heart of the faith, strong and sturdy when facing adversity and ever white and gold. Another flower hails from Darkwater, the unusual orange flowers which blossomed from a prayer [action 1947, see Darkwater webpage for landmark]. Ailith knows the unique properties of the flower do not venture from Darkwater, but sees the gesture as one to express the love of the pantheon and one to share with Brightshore -- not to convert, but to see the innocence and joy of such a faithful devotion and the gifts therein granted.

Azova has volunteered her services as a Healer and Mercy for the long voyage to Brightshore. She is fully prepared to tend to the medical and spiritual needs of those aboard the ship(s) they will be sailing on, and has promised to bring as many medical supplies as she is able, and will train any crew member who requests it in the basics of first aid as part of her effort to be useful rather than simply an idle passenger. She will be on the lookout for new medicines or medical techniques from Brightshore to bring back to Arx.

Quintin loves him some exploring, especially forgotten places. He's tagged along on sea adventures with the Kennex before, so he'll hopefully be useful on the ship. Otherwise, he's in it for the adventure and to bring his tactical mind to play, attempting to spot difficulties, come up with plans, and assess situations from a military standpoint. Quintin's good company on a long voyage, eager to learn new skills, and he's happy to bring along a board for some games of stones, too.

When Lou asked Marzio if he would be willing to venture off into the unknown to visit a place that hadn't been visited in a few hundred years, the Mazetti Lord had been only too willing to tag along. While he did not have a ton of experience in sailing, he does have a great deal of experience with commanding men. While he will not seek to take control of any forces that Lou does not grant him, he will be there and willing to offer any assistance that he might along the way.

He will seek to primarily serve in a combat roll for the group as they make their journey. Should they meet any hostile forces along the way and it come to combat, he will be there and ready to go to arms alongside his compatriots. He will also be there and willing to lend his considerable knowledge of surviving in inhospitable environments to the group and doing what he can to make sure that the entire group makes it back alive.

Kedehern might not be a sailor, but he still has skills and assets that he can bring on his voyage, after having been invited by Princess Lou. During the course of the voyage, he'll assist with the navigation if need be, though otherwise he'll let the sailors sail, as it were. Once they make landfall at Brightshore however, he'll help get the scouting parties organized, and underway. Happy to use his knowledge of the wilds to help as they explore the island, and see what there is to be found, as well as providing some protection for the group in what manner that he can, to make sure as many as possible return back home safely from the long voyage.

Seliki born and raised, by very definition and a lifetime of training, Kalani loves the sea and everything about it. The chance to take part in this voyage is to great a temptation to pass up. As a healer, she'll bring along medical supplies as well and stand ready to assist the other healers who are accompanying this group. As a decent hand at sketching, she'll also offer to make map copies, as they become available, and so on. Above and beyond any other skill, she's a combat medic and knows how to handle herself in dangerous situations that happen on a slippery deck, while the sea is pitching the ship side to side, and does not fall victim to sea sickness.

Well, they don't drown getting there. This is now scheduled for 11/28, @cal 4895.