A Timely Exchange of Information

[The Greenest Dolphin, Forecastle]
You are on [a timeworn naval freighter].
This is the interior of the ship below the forecastle deck, where crew and passengers may quarter. The ceiling is rather low and the space cramped. While the wood that makes up the surroundings is old and battered and retains a perpetual particular smell, it looks well-cared for, swabbed with oil and patched between the planks with pitch. Several hammocks are hung from the ceiling on sliding hooks set over sturdy rungs, allowing them to be opened or closed and pushed to the side.
(The cramped forecastle is crowded with huddled bodies, many sporting injuries and bandages. There's a hole cracked through the floor.)
A bilge-sodden oakwood crate is here. A coil of heavy-duty hemp rope has been fixed here, hanging towards a splintery hole in the floor. A large, tar-sealed barrel is here. A leather-bound tome is here. A page torn from a book is affixed to the wall here, big lettering announcing something about an upcoming meeting. A pinewood fishing pole is here. A ship's firstaid kit is here. A thirty-cubit measuring rope is left here. An inkwell is here.
Many people are sleeping here.
A lean, red-haired young man is sitting here. Halima Tifour is standing on a patched canvas hammock, wielding a feather quill in her right hand. Firouzeh is sat criss-cross in a patched canvas hammock, idly swinging with the use of her cane, holding a brass-capped reed cane in her right hand. Zahir ibn Musa is standing here, holding a small, polished prayer stone in his right hand. Fadila Alheta is sitting beside a splintery hole in the floor. Ziyad Farhat is here.
Cardinal Exits: the southern Port Cabin: squat cabin door (closed), the northern Starboard Cabin: squat cabin door (closed), and towards the dingy west end of the forecastle
Other: out: squat cabin door (closed) and a splintery hole in the floor (steep)

The squat cabin door opens.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Jackal drags himself up out of the hole like a skinny slug, jaw grit through the strain of it. Once up on his feet again, he rises slowly and - out of habit at this point - shows the room his hands, palm-out.

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

(At the northern Starboard Cabin): Zahra entertains a faint smile while she watches Jackal, vaguely amused.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

Yasin walks through the squat cabin door, in slow, perhaps unsure, steps.

Alun moves to the porthole and peers out with a thoughtful little frown.

Rostam Marzani snorts softly as he looks over at Jackal, patting the deck beside himself. "Come, Convict. Join me, keep me company."

A lean, red-haired young man slips a droopy-eyed look towards Jackal from the corner of his eyes, his head slightly tilting to one side.

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha stirs quietly and sits up at the increasing hubbub within the forecastle. She runs a hand over her hair and thawb, spending a few discreet seconds making herself something presentable - within limitations of present circumstances.

Firouzeh's attention briefly lingers on Jackal, with some curiosity at his arrival. Quickly, though, the attention turns over to Yasin to greet him with a warm, "Hello, dear."

Yeshev al-Car walks through the squat cabin door.

Yeshev al-Car closes the squat cabin door, shutting it behind him and leaning back against it.

Yasin wanders out of that port-side cabin holding a true mess of papers in his hands. It looks like there's been some attempt to order them, perhaps. The burly man's eyes flick to each and everyone present in the forecastle. He then quickly lifts a free hand up to his brow, wiping some sweat from it, before setting that thick hand back down to his side. He remains quiet for several moments, before his eyes settle on Firouzeh at her greeting. "Hello, Grandmother," the man replies in a wavering tone.

Yeshev al-Car goes to stand near the closed squat cabin door.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it floats smoothly upon calm waves.

Zahra lets her gaze trail toward Yasin and Yeshev al-Car when they finally emerges from the port cabin. She greets them both with a smile.

Maybe Jackal is more cat than dog after all, because Rostam Marzani's invitation to be welcome are met with a suspicious squint. He slinks off toward a bilge-sodden oakwood crate instead and pops a squat there beside it, looping twig-thin arms around his knees.

Yeshev al-Car leans against the portside door, at the periphery of the crowd. (Room Pose Set)

Jackal goes to crouch beside a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Alun goes to stand near the frame of the open tiny canvas blind, joining Ziyad Farhat.

Fadila Alheta nods to each person who enters the forecastle. From her place on the ground she sits rigidly, completely still except for the polite nod to each person and a silent inclinatoin of the head.

Firouzeh dips her head to Yasin, eyes closing briefly in a gesture possibly meant as reassurance.

Rostam Marzani looks up at Yasin, focusing his attention on him after Jackal rebuffs his summons, just like an alley-cat. He offers Yasin a smile and nods his head in amiable greeting, casting a look around the room with good-natured interest.

Zahir ibn Musa glances over at Yasin, taking a step back, toward the edge of the room, and casts a slow look over the others assembled.

Yasin's honey-brown eyes dart from person to person again. They seem to linger on a few individuals, such as Rostam Marzani, Ziyad Farhat, and last of all, you, the last of whom he offers a nervous smile. "Right," he then says, as a way of apparently beginning a conversation, and he then begins looking at the forecastle at large.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes climbs over from down a splintery hole in the floor.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes climbs up adroitly, with the aid of a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope.

Zahra returns Yasin's smile, though her own is a bit warmer -- no doubt meant to be reassuring. Her attention lingers upon him now when he begins to speak.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha slowly looks about the faces gathered here as she rises to a stand, flitting evenly from one person to another. Her eyes find Yasin as he attempts to speaks up. She gives him a small nod, as if to indicate attention.

Zahir ibn Musa smiles faintly at a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes's arrival, though his attention returns soon enough to Yasin.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha straightens to stand near a relatively-new canvas hammock.

Having hauled herself up the scaffolding and cast a speculative glance over the crowd, a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes remains close to the hole in the floor, and quiet.

Ziyad Farhat leans back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes briefly follows Jackal with a hint of misgiving in their depths, until more arrivals draw his attention. Alun gets a nod of acknowledgement upon his approach to a porthole window, followed a smile returned to Yasin that's meant to be encouraging.

(At a patched canvas hammock): Halima Tifour listens quietly from her hammock.

The burly Razmani begins, "...thank you all for coming." A beat, before Yasin continues, "I ... am not used to being quite the center of attention." There's a nervous chuckle accompanying that sentence. "Uh. I didn't call this meeting for you to all ... look at me, of course. This is for all of us, to talk to each other. To ... share." Another bead of sweat appears on the burly man's forehead.

Fadila Alheta nods to those few entering, dipping the head in solemn greetings before she turns her attention to Yasin.

Rostam Marzani offers Marwa Baz Taa'ha a warm smile as she straightens to her feet, then nods a greeting to Alun. He returns his attention to Yasin, nodding his head.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes goes to stand near a splintery hole in the floor, joining Fadila Alheta.

Alun is indeed simply looking at Yasin, with a pleasantly hazy gaze and a birdlike tilt to his head.

Owais climbs over from down a splintery hole in the floor.

Owais climbs up adroitly, skillfully utilizing a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope.

Zahra delicately clears her throat before she gently calls out to Yasin from her place leaning against the door of the starboard cabin, "Perhaps it might do well for you to read your summary of what you believe we all know thus far, Sayyid Yasin? And then we can go around the room and fill in the blanks present in your summary?"

(At a patched canvas hammock): Halima Tifour closes her book, her attention now on Yasin's words.

Fadila Alheta nods warmly to Owais then dips the head to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes who's joined her.

Owais hops up from the top of the plank inside a splintery hole in the floor, joining the sizeable crowd in the cramped forecastle that is all staring at Yasin.

Halima Tifour puts a feather quill in a rugged zharalhide mizuda.

"We should begin with a prayer," Jackal says firmly in his rattle-snake rasp, taking Yasin's permission to speak as permission to cut in.

Halima Tifour picks up a leather-bound tome from the floor.

Halima Tifour puts a leather-bound tome in a rugged zharalhide mizuda.

Halima Tifour picks up an inkwell from the floor.

Fadila Alheta glances at Jackal then nods considering.

Yasin seems about to say more, before looking over to you and nodding. "Yes. Yes. That is exactly what we should do. I thought I would start simply by ... setting context. And ... for you all to correct me, if you had additional knowledge." Yasin says, looking down for several moments at a page torn from a book in his hand. "It is important that ... we all of us, are on the same page with regards to how we've ended up where we are." He seems to be doing his best to ignore Jackal's mention of a prayer.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes nods first to Fadila Alheta and then, looking a touch surprised, to Owais as well as the shipwitch emerges from the galley below.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Owais sidles over towards a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, still staring at Yasin. (Stand - by a splintery hole in the floor -)

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Jackal pops a squat over by the crate, leaning a sharp shoulder against it. (Room Pose Set)

Yasin spends a moment finding the -right- page from his crumple of notes. But then, he seems to find it. Finally.

(At the northern Starboard Cabin): Zahra tracks Owais for a few moments sidelong, eyes faintly narrowing, before her gaze returns to Yasin.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

Rostam Marzani blinks, glancing at Jackal, then returns his attention to Yasin, sitting forward slightly.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Owais shifts closer to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha stands quietly straight-backed by a hammock. (Room Pose Set)

"So, let me start by ... setting that context for all of us. Once I am through, you may ... correct me." Yasin waits a beat, then begins. "This all began weeks ago, with the corpse of the rat-bitten man, that was given a sea funeral." He swallows.

The Razmani begins pacing a bit, back and forth, as he continues. "It is unconfirmed, but likely, that either a single 'rope', this 'knot', or perhaps several knots, was found on the rat-bitten man's body. It is believed that either Sayyid At'ar or Sayyid Rahat took this item from the corpse, but that is also not ... confirmed." It seems to do the Razmani good to be looking down at his paper, and reading, instead of looking to the crowd. Less sweat, more speech. He then continues further...

Inaya walks over from towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Esfandiar Shirazi walks over from towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Inaya goes to move near the way towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Owais gives a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes a reluctant nod of understanding, and goes back to staring at Yasin expectantly.

Esfandiar Shirazi goes to stand near the way towards the dingy west end of the forecastle, joining Inaya.

Rostam Marzani makes an agreeable, encouraging, noise.

Zahra rivets her attention back upon Yasin now, silently listening.

Firouzeh rocks in her makeshift swing, giving rapt attention to Yasin as she nods along with his words.

Esfandiar Shirazi lingers with his arms loosely folded, watchful. (Room Pose Set)

"After this moment..." Yasin continues reading, looking down, "...the ghost of this man began appearing in the bilge. And it was reported that he would make things very cold." Another beat. "Sometime later, was Sayyida Noubal's ... perfume ... event." He lingers there as if he wasn't quite sure how to describe the thing. "That was where uh, Owais..." And he gestures to Owais, looking up for the first time and having to spend a moment searching the crowd of individuals, "...had his ... vision."

"And apparently, at the same time or shortly after, Sayyid Idir had a ... vision. Of a spirit escaping the same day. I lack details of that vision, unfortunately." Looking back up at the crowd as he says this, there's another bead of sweat, obvious now, appearing on the Razmani's brow. He wipes it, almost immediately, and looks back to his papers. An odd look for this burly smith, holding his sheet of papers and orating. Or attempting to, anyway.

Fadila Alheta nods seriously, eyes flicking from Yasin to the sizeable crowd and back again, seemingly completely absorbed.

The ship glides across smooth waters on beneath you.

(At the general area): A lean, red-haired young man nervously wringes his hands in his lap while listening to Yasin
You're not sure anyone else notices.

Rostam Marzani seems about to speak as Yasin pauses, then apparently decides against it.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Owais blinks several times in a row at Yasin, shrinking back half-a-step at the look and then flushing in embarrassment.

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha turns her gaze from Yasin to the others at something he says, as if curious to judge what everyone's reactions may be. She returns her attention to Yasin as he continues his summary.

Yasin continues "...Then ... the rope vanished, and we lost track of it, until ah ... " And Yasin searches the crowd again, finding a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, looking surprised. "Well, the one known as Sassafrass found herself in possession of it. Of 'the knots', as we have begun to call them." He stops, then, perhaps noticing Rostam Marzani. "Uh ... Sayyid Marzani. You wish to interject?"

(At a porthole window): Alun makes a small Hmm sound from the back of his throat.
You're not sure anyone else notices.

Zahra cuts a look over to Rostam Marzani and suggests -- though no one asked her for her opinion. But when has that ever stopped her. "Perhaps we should wait until the end to offer corrections and... expansions."

Clearing his throat and speaking up, Rostam Marzani says, "Just to give a touch of clarity on Sayyid Idir's vision. He felt two presences -- one very large, with many eyes. One smaller, sharp. Like a knife. He felt the second escaping, or trying to escape."

Rostam Marzani winces as he speaks at the same time as you, hanging his head briefly.

Sitra Tahan twitches in her sleep.

Sitra Tahan wakes up, lying on the floor.

Sitra Tahan sits up on the floor.

Jackal nods along with Rostam Marzani in some form of silent corroboration with what's described, even though he's not the one being mentioned.

Yasin nods to Rostam Marzani, but offers a warm, perhaps thankful, nod to you. "The clarity is helpful." A beat, and he looks around. "If ... one of the scholars present could write any new uhh ... " There's a lingering pause here, as he searches for a word, "Discoveries down, please? That'd be helpful. Two presences ... " He trails off then, and looks back to his papers. "Right, let's continue."

Sitra Tahan stirs, likely awakened from her doze by the sound of conversations. A hand lifts to rub at her eyes, soon blinking before she looks about to take stock of things.

Fadila Alheta nods to Rahin Zamani as she wakens, but turns her attention back to Rostam Marzani, you then to Yasin.

Halima Tifour nods, reaching for her tome.

Yasin then continues, his voice wavering a bit more, "So, at some point in the recent days, Sassafrass, the knots left your collection, yes?" He doesn't wait for an answer, though, as he continues speaking, "...and we know that this ghost has spoken of the knots. We ... we should talk about the ghost." And now he's looking for a different page in his collection of haphazard pages.

Halima Tifour drops an inkwell near a patched canvas hammock.

Halima Tifour gets out a leather-bound tome from a rugged zharalhide mizuda in her possession.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Halima Tifour drops a leather-bound tome near a patched canvas hammock.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Halima Tifour gets out a feather quill from a rugged zharalhide mizuda in her possession.

Halima Tifour shifts her grip and brandishes a feather quill in her fist.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

Esfandiar Shirazi tongues his gold tooth, lips pressed together as he looks on silently.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes narrows her eyes a little at that bit of attention from Yasin, but she doesn't say anything in response or even nod. She just watches.

Yasin again seems to take an unbearably long time before finding the right page - but he does so, eventually. He seems to be pacing back and forth a bit faster now, in his little spot in the forecastle, with all of those eyes on him.

"Right. This concerns the events of ... the first of Rashani, in the ... evening. We, several of us, descended into the bilge."

"We ... saw this ghost, I'm sure many of you have seen it by now." He does look briefly up at the crowd. There is a slight paleness to the color of his skin. He looks back down, apparently not interested in waiting for a call-and-response from the audience. "The ghost mentioned the knots, to us all. That they are a ... 'key of keys'. Yet unfinished. And spoke of 'how to bind the last knot'." He takes a breath, before continuing.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal slides a wordless look aside at a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes when she's referred to, gaze briefly catching there. But it doesn't stick, and returns whence it came within moments.

(At the northern Starboard Cabin): Zahra narrows her eyes ever-so-slightly while she watches Yasin.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it drifts on peacefully.

Rostam Marzani nods along with this, absently rubbing his hip.

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

Esfandiar Shirazi clears his throat.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

Yasin looks back again to a page torn from a book, saying, "...The ghost also appears in the presence of a ... vision of a door. An odd door, that has been ... described before as one with no handle. The ghost described this door as a ... crossroads. It doesn't lead to one place, only." A beat. "It could lead us to our destination, of Al-Sabiyyah. Or ... it could take us to a darker, deeper place." He pauses as he says this, as if considering the implications of those words.

$me looks up to Esfandiar Shirazi as he clears his throat. "Yes, ... Sayyid Shirazi?"

Fadila Alheta looks to each person as Yasin metions them, but then she returns her thoughtful gaze to him.

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha clasps her hands in front of herself as Yasin continues speaking.

Esfandiar Shirazi blinks, seeming surprised, and then shakes his head. Offering a little bow, he calls, "No no. Just a bit of phlegm. Please, continue." He rolls a loose hand in theatrical invitation.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes furrows her brow faintly, looking perhaps a little skeptical at such a large claim for this door.
You're not sure anyone else notices.

Ziyad Farhat departs.

Ziyad Farhat arrives.

Zahir ibn Musa squints, brow furrowing. Freely interrupting he asks "Did it say that? Explicitly? That it would lead us to Al Sabiyyah?"

Yasin nods to Esfandiar Shirazi, wiping another bead of sweat from his brow. He then looks to Zahir ibn Musa, stating, "Well, no. Good correction, Sayyid ibn Musa." A beat. "It said to our ... previous destination. Was that the words? I think so." His eyes look to the crowd, searching, searching. They spy Rostam Marzani. "Sayyid Marzani, do you recall?"

Esfandiar Shirazi glances at Zahir ibn Musa, lips pressing together, before his gaze flicks back to Yasin, expectant.

A lean, red-haired young man absently scratches at his cheek while he listens; drooping eyes casting brief glances around to each person as they speak.

Around you, the ship drifts on peacefully.

Rostam Marzani flicks his gaze from one person to another, measuring reactions. He considers Zahir ibn Musa for a moment, nods. "Our intended destination, or previous destination. I cannot remember the exact word."

Zahir ibn Musa hums thoughtfully and nods.

"The two may not be the same, for some of us," Esfandiar Shirazi mentions, loud enough to be heard, as he looks from Zahir ibn Musa to Rostam Marzani and back again. "Hmm? Perhaps we should ask it when we next have the chance. Or write things down when we hear them."

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya tongues at the inside of her cheek for a few moments, looking between Yasin and Zahir ibn Musa, lingering on the latter.

Nodding after a moment, Sitra Tahan says, "Back to friendlier climes, at least."

Sitra Tahan departs.

Sitra Tahan arrives.

Yasin nods gratefully to Rostam Marzani, and to Zahir ibn Musa as well. He says in an obviously wavering bass-baritone, "Right. I apologize for ... saying Al-Sabiyyah. That was my interpretation of 'intended destination.'" He takes a breath, apparently about to continue again. "The ghost then said ... that time is draining away. That we are ... running out of time."

Zahra gives a vague nod over to Esfandiar Shirazi at his suggestion, though the brunt of her attention is still upon Yasin.

Ziyad Farhat has his eyes closed for a moment as he tries to recall. He slowly shakes his head when he speaks up, "It was something along the lines of the path were were path had intended to go once," he speaks up before going quiet again to listen.

Alun spares a look out the porthole as Ziyad Farhat speaks, expression thoughtful.

Sitra Tahan falls quiet again, listening to the others share details she already seems largely familiar with.

"So ... we asked it, how can we steer the course to the safer path." Yasin says, looking back again at his papers. "And at this question, symbols appeared. A ... ewer. A sceptre. Sixteen locusts and ... two ants." Yasin shakes his head, clearly exhibiting his own confusion at the words he is reading. "Then, we asked it ... what should we do with the knots. And the ghost replied to us in a riddle." He nervously paces back and forth, still, as he says this riddle. "Stand on the beginning of the path that the wind rides on."

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Owais hunches his shoulders and folds both skinny arms, blinking a few times as he observes. An uncertain frown settles onto his features, the twist of his brows dubious at Yasin's last words.

Zahir ibn Musa me's attention drifts to Owais and he watches him in thoughtful silence.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Esfandiar Shirazi wrinkles his nose faintly.

Halima Tifour tears a page out of a leather-bound tome.

Halima Tifour is unable to grip a page torn from a book, so she leaves it to the side.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes gives a tiny little glance to Owais as well. Her lips purse thoughtfully, and then she just shakes her head, evidently finding the rest of this information as bemusing as anybody.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha frowns, squinting a little in the wake of Yasin's recounting. She recites some of his words under her breath, as if attempting to commit them to memory.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Sitra Tahan slants a glance to settle on Owais, and she soon lifts her voice again, "Sayyid Owais. Where do you think the wind rides?"

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Esfandiar Shirazi glances over at Owais, seeming to have caught eyes turned that way. He just watches the man in an impassively critical sort of way.

Yasin continues to read directly from the page. "The ghost also said that ... the Priestess," and at this he looks to Sitra Tahan, "And the ... convict," and he looks over to Jackal, "...would know what to do with the knots, even if ... they don't know now."

"The ghost then dissipated, but before it did, it warned us to leave the ghosts behind. That the ghosts were the same 'hunger' as the monsters. That the monsters will try to follow us, as we try to do this task. And ... that we must 'leave them on the ship', and not let them interrupt us." He looks up then, back to the crowd. "That brings us approximately to where we are ... now. There is one other fact I wish to-" But he quiets, hearing Sitra Tahan's question, and looks between her and Owais. It is then that his gaze firmly settles on the crowd at large, honey-brown eyes darting back and forth to each of them.

Rostam Marzani nods encouragingly to Yasin.

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Zahra's attention doesn't seem to be straying toward Owais at this juncture, like some others. Her gaze remains upon Yasin, her eyes trying to fix with his.

Topaz eyes dart to and fro, almost as if Owais might be seeking escape from Sitra Tahan's query. Thankfully, the speech continues, and he is spared making a comment -- instead very studiously fixating his stare on Yasin.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Dirty fingernails pick-pick-pick away at flaking scabs on Jackal's left wrist, and don't still even when Yasin mentions him. His sharp eyes move between faces and hands and feet of those present, watching and measuring.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Owais waits a moment, realizing that Yasin is actually paused and staring back at him. He gives an uncomfortable cough, and then -- "The wind rides many paths." [in Sirdabi with a youthfully-cracking tenor]

Owais says, "Let's, uh, listen to the smith, he's got another thing to say..."

Sitra Tahan continues to stare at Owais, even if she doesn't press him further for an answer, her arms draping over her knees as she leans forward.

Like many other pairs of eyes, Ziyad Farhat looks to Owais as well to wait for an answer. The one that's provided turns his gaze thoughtful, but also makes it linger longer before he returns his attention to Yasin.

Quietly Fadila Alheta sits scrunched up on the ground, eyes resting on Yasin mostly but nods and looks to each speaker in turn.

Rostam Marzani nods to Owais, glancing over at him with a brief smile, then looks back to Yasin.

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

Yasin's eyes keep looking around the room, not quite settling on anyone - not even you, who seems so intent on fixing her gaze upon his. He lifts a free hand up to wipe at his brow again. His skin is noticeably paler. He glances again to Owais as he speaks, but then when he lobs that point back at Yasin, he says, "Right. One more fact." He again looks back to his notes, searching for something.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

"No... not that one..." Is heard being quietly muttered from Yasin's mouth, as he searches...

Yasin reads a page torn from a book.

Zahra draws her gaze from Yasin, attention flashing across the forecastle toward Yeshev al-Car instead.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Esfandiar Shirazi's eyes narrow at Owais a moment, lips tightening in a look of subtle contempt. Eventually his gaze strays back to Yasin.

Firouzeh looks on at Yasin, though whatever relaxation she had before has morphed into some concern for the smith.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha glances to Owais at his answer, then returns her attention to Yasin - possibly not helping with the man's present state of sweatiness.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya's gaze settles quietly on Fadila Alheta, resting there quietly from where she stands against the fore wall.

"Ah, this." Yasin finally says, letting out a little exhale. He holds up a sheet of paper, showing a reasonably-detailed image of what *might* look like a constellation. A monolith, shaped similarly to a door, made from twenty-six stars. A single star floats next to it at a slight distance. "This ... image. Which we first thought was a constellation, but as Sayyida al-Dhahab pointed out, it is not. It is probably an abstraction, or ... a blueprint. Something to build." A beat. "It is possible that it represents the knots, but ... that is not proven."

And as the smith holds that 'constellation' drawing up to the crowd, he swallows, and allows his eyes to return to the room, searching, looking, maybe gauging the reaction, the interest, of everyone present.

Yeshev al-Car shifts his gaze to meet your, briefly, before it returns to Yasin.

Firouzeh looks at Yasin's right hand.

Alun takes a small step forward, frowning and squinting at the sheet as Yasin holds it up.

You notice something about Yeshev al-Car: Yeshev narrows his eyes slightly, gives the faintest shake of his head. He's seeing it, but his expression holds no answers.

"An abstraction being an abstract representation of an idea," Zahra clarifies for the crowd -- just in case anyone didn't know the meaning of that word. She still looks at Yeshev al-Car a moment more before she drags her gaze back to Yasin.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha takes a few steps closer to Yasin, though still at a distance, as she focuses on making out the diagram.

Esfandiar Shirazi has to kind of lean over to see around someone and between heads, to get a good look at Yasin's page - which he only starts to bother to do, and then he gives up.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes rises upon her toes, as if to try to get a better look at the drawing through the crowd. Perhaps failing, she wrinkles her nose slightly and lets out a puff of breath through her lips.

As Yasin finishes orating, Yeshev al-Car brings his hands together in a slow but audible clapping. He shoots a pointed look in the direction of the crowd at large as he does.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya flicks a look aside toward you, expression impassive.

You send to Yeshev al-Car: Though Zahra looks outwardly serene as ever, there is a tightness about her eyes. She's clearly concerned.

Fadila Alheta looks at Yasin and at the sheet completely perplexed, but still willing to listen by the nod.

Jackal assembles a bony kickstand for his chin, elbow to knee, palm holstering. From there, he squints at the drawing Yasin presents, peering between bodies. But no great flashes of revelation are forthcoming.

Yasin swallows again. He aborts his pacing, holding still as everyone looks at that sheet of paper. Or he's trying to, anyway. His right hand holding that sheet is shaking. "So ... what I think we should do now is then discuss options. What should we -do- with these ... knots? And who has additional information, that I did not present? We ... " He trails off, looking about the crowd.

Several beats pass, and he seems to try and pick back up again, "We ... this is only useful if all of you now share, and we ... make some decisions. Talk about options. What ... " And he's trailing off again, for some reason, eyes flitting back and forth.

Zahir ibn Musa watches Yasin neutrally, then lets his gaze drift slowly over the gathering.

The ship drifts on gently on beneath you.

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

Rostam Marzani begins to clap as well, nodding once. He raises his voice, looking around as his claps subside. "Alright. No surprise to anyone here that I would like to begin. The first thing that I would like to discuss is the knots. Regardless of what we decide, we should attempt to locate them."

"Would you like some water, dear?" Firouzeh offers gently to Yasin from her seat on a patched canvas hammock. Her first words of the meeting come gently, only loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

"Yasin," Zahra abruptly announces as she straightens herself from her casual lean against the starboard door. "Why don't you sit down." The suggestion seems gentle enough though there is something sharp beneath it. She nods over to Firouzeh with her words. (Stand - near the closed squat cabin door -)

Sitra Tahan laces her fingers together, clearing her throat gently, "I don't have anything to add to the information already shared, but I am keen to discuss what we will do from here on out."

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha suddenly pulls her eyes away from the sheet of paper, looking over her left shoulder to the air behind her, eyes wide.

Alun lifts a finger to Rostam Marzani before he rummages in his case, producing a number of unrelated items before putting them back.

Alun gets out a knotted chunk of old rope from a black leather scribing case in his possession.

Esfandiar Shirazi pets his unrulier-than-usual mustache, eyes closing momentarily. Then his gaze flicks up toward Inaya mutely.

Yasin doesn't seem to hear Firouzeh, or you even. His eyes do flick to Rostam Marzani briefly, but they seem distant, lost amongst the crowd, amongst the noise. He gently lowers that sheet, that 'constellation', though that hand is still shaking regardless.

Firouzeh doesn't wait for an answer anyway, and has seemingly occupied herself with foraging through a wicker basket in search of something.

Rostam Marzani glances first at Marwa Baz Taa'ha, then Alun, blinking. "...Well, that was easy."

Halima Tifour takes stock of Yasin.

Firouzeh gets out a round leather canteen from a wicker basket in her possession.

Alun wrinkles his nose, looking a little apologetic. "It was stuffed behind a barrel."

As she recalls, Sitra Tahan says, "Ah, did anyone mention the other dangers that go with completing the knots?"

Fadila Alheta sits quietly seemingly overwhelme by all the crowd. She looks at the ground.

Ziyad Farhat is giving Yasin a concerned look when Alun suddenly pulls out a knotted rope. He shifts in his seat to face Alun more fully, or rather the object that's being held.

The ship tranquilly glides on on beneath you.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya catches Esfandiar Shirazi's look, and meets it, but there's no hint of expression to indicate a particular communication beyond a twitch of one brow.

"No," Zahra mentions to Sitra Tahan even as she's picking her way through the crowded forecastle toward Yasin. "Why don't you do that, Priestess." (Move - within the general area -)

Zahir ibn Musa me's attention settles on Marwa Baz Taa'ha for a moment, until it is diverted by Sitra Tahan's question. "Other dangers?" he echoes dubiously.

Gesturing toward Alun, Rostam Marzani says to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, "..Is that the rope?"

You shift closer to Yasin.

Firouzeh gives a fleeting glance to Alun as she rises from her seat, somewhat interested but more focused on moving through bodies after you with a round leather canteen in hand. (Stand - within the general area -)

Yasin seems to lose all attention for the crowd, for the moment, standing there at his little spot of 'oration'. He stares off into the dingy end of the forecastle, going absolutely still.

Sitra Tahan considers a moment after nodding to you, "I don't recall the ghost's exact wording, but he was rather clear we cannot let anything here follow us if we decide to leave."

Firouzeh offers a round leather canteen to Yasin.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Esfandiar Shirazi just shakes his head subtly in response to Inaya's inquiry, eyes rolling just a bit, before he bothers to return to watching the crowd.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes edges to one side, accidentally elbowing the poor Owais a little as she attempts to get a better view. She cranes her neck at Rostam Marzani's words, eyes narrowing as she fixes her gaze on whatever she can see of Alun's rope.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Owais peers at Yasin for a moment longer, and then blinks a few times over at Alun and the knot.

Sitra Tahan says, "Himself included, and, I assume, the mist monsters."

(Hidden) "Yasin," Zahra lowly whispers to Yasin as she grabs at the young man's wrist -- no doubt to get his attention. "What is the matter." She ticks a quick look to Firouzeh as well.

The ship floats smoothly upon calm waves on beneath you.

Halima Tifour says, "Leave the ship... Hrm."

Sitra Tahan says, "The latter will try to stop us, I also believe he said."

(At a relatively-new canvas hammock): Marwa Baz Taa'ha searches the air behind her, mouth forming a word quietly. For the moment, she seems distracted from the mill of conversation around her.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Alun helpfully holds up the chunk of old rope for a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, fingers worrying unconsciously at a large knot.

Rostam Marzani nods along with Sitra Tahan, though he gazes between a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes and Alun.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Owais is coincidentally wounded by a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes's elbow, but not too badly. He shifts in discomfort at Sitra Tahan's words, then looks back to Yasin, entirely failing to notice Marwa Baz Taa'ha's quiet staring-into-air.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya's gaze shifts over toward Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

As Yasin stares at towards the dingy west end of the forecastle, looking off at ... something? The man goes obviously pale, now, to anyone who is studying him. He mouths quietly the words barely audible, "W? I am not." [in Ruzur]

And then, he takes a single step forward, toward that depth of the forecastle. And he collapses.

Yasin wavers, and then his eyes roll up in his head as he goes limp.

Yasin crumples in a dead faint.

Yeshev al-Car scans towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Ziyad Farhat straightens to stand near the frame of the open tiny canvas blind.

After a long dramatic moment of silent staring at that upheld chunk of rope, a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes finally says very anticlimactically, "That is definitely not it." She pauses. "Not even if it's managed to rearrange itself somehow." Another pause, almost apologetic. "That is.. definitely just a piece of old rope." [in Sirdabi with a wispy soprano]

Ziyad Farhat scans towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Rostam Marzani peers towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Rostam Marzani takes stock of Yasin.

Zahra just watches Yasin go down, unable to do anything about the much heavier albeit shorter man's faint. She immediately flashes a look over to Yeshev al-Car.

Firouzeh lets the canteen she was offering drop to her side as Yasin falls, though she does little to break his fall as he crumples to the floor.

Firouzeh takes stock of Yasin.

Zahir ibn Musa looks to Marwa Baz Taa'ha again, and is once again distracted, this time by Yasin's collapse.

Rostam Marzani squints toward Yasin, then over to Firouzeh, frowning.

A lean, red-haired young man tilts his head to the side as he observes Yasin with somewhat-widening eyes.

Owais puts a hand over his mouth in shock as Yasin plummets to the planking.

Alun frowns mildly at the old rope. "Are you sure? It looks an awful lot like-" He trails off and wears a more severe frown at Yasin's collapse, taking a step further from the man.

Raising his head now, with a thoughtful frown, Esfandiar Shirazi calls over to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, "How do you know it isn't magical? Hmm? Can you..." He hesitates as if he's uncertain whether he may be about to say something foolish, but then he just goes on ahead with it - "-feel- magic?"

Yasin goes down with a hard -THWUMP- as he hits the planking. That landing doesn't seem to waken him though, and he looks dead to the world.

Esfandiar Shirazi seems only passingly interested in Yasin's collapse, and seeing others react seems to leave him feeling no obligation to do so. His attention remains mostly on a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes.

Ziyad Farhat glances in the same direction that Yasin does, but only briefly before he's moving forward and shifting through the crowd towards Yasin. "How is he? I-thought- that he looked unwell and..." He glances in that same direction again, eyes also stopping on Marwa Baz Taa'ha for a second before he returns his concerned gaze to Yasin.

Yeshev al-Car spares a glance deeper into the forecastle. But as Yasin collapses, his eyes immediately snap back there. He pushes off from the portside door, his voice rising to snap, "Give him some space!" A quick glance Firouzeh's way implies the old woman is not included in this directive.

Ziyad Farhat goes to stand near the general area, joining a large crowd.

Yeshev al-Car steps away from the southern Port Cabin, leaving.

Rostam Marzani stays very still, just watching Yasin, his eyes narrowed. "Ziyad. Grandmother. Would you, please?"

Ziyad Farhat takes stock of Yasin.

Sitra Tahan straightens up, seeming about to approach Yasin but stopping herself to not crowd the collapsed man.

Zahra isn't including herself in Yeshev al-Car's directive either, given that she doesn't move away from Yasin. "Grandmother, is he alright?" she lowly wonders of Firouzeh.

Firouzeh drops to kneel next to Yasin, looking back towards the dingy west end of the forecastle for a moment before tending to him. The back of her hand is pressed to his clammy forehead as she attempts to diagnose whatever has afflicted him. "I don't-" the elder starts, obviously perplexed by whatever has overtaken the smith. (Kneel - within on the floor -)

Marwa Baz Taa'ha startles at the -thump- that would be behind her as she looks over her shoulder. She looks where Yasin -would- be if he were standing, then takes a moment to find him on the ground. "Yasin?" She looks around at the others. "What happened?" Her face is covered with a faint sheen of sweat.

Fadila Alheta opens her mouth then closes it as Yasin falls to the planking. "By the Song." Her breath is raged, "Seized by the spirits." [in Sirdabi with a lilting soprano] She says softly.

Firouzeh takes stock of Yasin.

Rostam Marzani glances to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, as though to answer, then frowns. "Sayyida? Are *you* alright?"

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes slides her gaze towards Yasin, eyeing him cautiously for a moment. Then -- how callous! -- she turns away, searching the crowd for a few seconds, before finding Esfandiar Shirazi somewhere in there. Frowning, she admits, "I suppose I don't know that particular rope isn't magical. It's just not the one I found."

Yeshev al-Car pushes his way through the hammocks, approaching Yasin and Firouzeh without coming all the way up on them. He gives Yasin an appraising look.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal's mouth tugs into a flat grimace as the brawny Smith is felled without so much as a cry of 'timberrrr.' He remains squarely where he is, and only observes.

Yeshev al-Car takes stock of Yasin.

In a concerned murmur, Ziyad Farhat says to Firouzeh, "I don't see any physical injuries, but he had grown paler and paler throughout his recounting."

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

"We knew that," Esfandiar Shirazi tells a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes matter-of-factly, with a hint of impatience. He shifts his weight idly between his feet, mouth pulling over to one side. "But who hides knots behind barrels, hmm?"

Firouzeh nods to Ziyad Farhat, though her gaze remains fixed on Yasin. "I noticed as well, that's why I was trying to give him some water."

Yeshev al-Car drops to a crouch on the floor.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes spreads her hands slightly and offers, "But the one I found did feel.. cold. And.. not right." A faint grimace tugs briefly at her mouth, as if she's aware how feeble that may sound.

For those examining Yasin, he would appear terribly clammy, and terribly pale. There is no obvious other physical ailment to the burly man, except for the fact that he is quite obviously passed out.

"Like I said." Fadila Alheta says forcefully, "Seized by something." "Something, is not right." Her own face is pale.

"We should move him to his room, no?" Zahra wonders of Firouzeh. "But I believe it took quite a few men to move him last time..." She trails off on that, just looking at the burly Razmani.

Yasin twitches for a second.

Rostam Marzani struggles to rise.

Rostam Marzani straightens to stand within the general area.

Owais goes to stand by the general area, joining a large crowd, weaving through the crowd.

Rostam Marzani visibly struggles to remain conscious.

Halima Tifour looks up from her tome, frowning as she surveys the situation.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

"Marzani," Zahra calls out for Rostam Marzani, like she's calling for a dog. She hasn't even bothered looking over her shoulder to note that the man in question is already in motion.

(Quietly): Owais speaks, "I'll help get him to bed..!"

Yeshev al-Car straightens to stand within the general area.

Halima Tifour takes stock of Yasin.

"I- um.." Firouzeh offers in way of response to you, obviously unsure of what an appropriate next move should be. Eventually, the elder lands on, "Yes, a room might be best. Give him some air. It's too crowded in here."

Owais grips Yasin firmly in one hand, ready to start dragging.

Sitra Tahan rises to her feet, though she stays rooted to her patch of floor as she watches Yasin with concern.

Sitra Tahan straightens to stand within the general area.

Rostam Marzani grits his teeth as he shifts forward, nodding to you and reaching down to help Owais.

Ziyad Farhat says, "I think we should keep him warm as well. Did anyone catch what he said before he fell?"

Rostam Marzani grips Yasin firmly in one hand, ready to start dragging.

"Please give him back to us." Fadila Alheta prays lifting her hands, "Return him to us, cast out I pry what has taken him from us." Her hands fling outward encompassing the fallen Yasin.

Alun tugs at either end of his rope, tightening the knots, like they might be responsible for Yasin's current condition.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): "He's not -that- big," Inaya comments aside toward Esfandiar Shirazi in a whispered rasp.

Zahra dips a nod to Firouzeh's wisdom and steps back from Yasin at last as others try to move him.

You shift away from Yasin.

Yeshev al-Car opens the squat cabin door, slipping his way quickly through the crowd to open the portside, southern cabin door.

Firouzeh rises slowly, taking a step back from Yasin to allow those capably of moving him to do so. (Stand - within the general area -)

Halima Tifour nods to Ziyad Farhat. "He said 'Father? I am not.'"

Rostam Marzani falls in with Owais.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha closes her eyes for a few moments, then looks to Rostam Marzani at the question. "I am - fine enough, sayyid. But Yasin..."

Owais gives you a cautious look, ears red. Then he busies himself with wrapping both arms around just one of Yasin's own, and trying to haul with the help of others.

Zahir ibn Musa cocks an eyebrow.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Esfandiar Shirazi snorts aside at Inaya, murmuring, with a bit of twinkle in his eye, "Th-- might h-v- n--d-d f-w-r if th--'d -mplo--d wom-n, no?"

Owais walks away through the squat cabin door, dragging Yasin.

Rostam Marzani walks away through the squat cabin door, dragging Yasin.

Ziyad Farhat owais.

Zahir ibn Musa glances toward Jackal. "Perhaps he should have heeded your suggestion after all."

Firouzeh peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Glancing aside at Firouzeh, his voice terse, Yeshev al-Car says, "Firo. Did you see anything physically wrong with him? Aside from exhaustion?"

Esfandiar Shirazi glances at Zahir ibn Musa, brow crinkling a bit curiously as he looks between him and Jackal.

Jackal just splays spidery digits in a helpless gesture. No comment.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya smirks back to Esfandiar Shirazi, but falls quiet again. Her left hand comes to rest atop a broad, carved leather sheath with a battered scimitar inside at her side.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes twitches restlessly at her cloak, her gaze flickering around the room and across the people remaining.

Ziyad Farhat watches the prone man moved with a mildly helpless expression on his features. "Perhaps he'd been working himself too hard and only need a bit of rest to return to his full self again..." He murmurs hopefully.

Firouzeh shakes her head, answering Yeshev al-Car non-verbally at first as she looks the squat cabin door. After a moment, words are used to explain, "Nothing. He was pale while speaking, then his hand was shaking... and then of course the words before he fell."

Esfandiar Shirazi looks on, watchful, largely impassive, though with a certain curiosity. He often looks toward a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, studying her features.

Yeshev al-Car scrunches his face up. Thinking. His gaze scans the crowd again, falling on Sitra Tahan now as he approaches.

Zahra watches that port cabin door for a moment before she's then looking back toward the crowd and lifting her voice to state, "Our apologies for the disruption... we were discussing the knots, no? Perhaps the holder of the missing knots should reveal them at this point." She speaks as though she might know who this person is, though she doesn't look toward any person in particular. "So that others might see them, study them, and discuss next steps."

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya looks back toward Marwa Baz Taa'ha, gaze lingering there.

In a supporting echo after you, Jackal rasps to the room generally from his spot, "The time for secrets is long past."

(Quietly): Murmuring to Sitra Tahan as he edges his way through the crowd, Yeshev al-Car speaks, "Priestess. I know -this- is important, but...would you give him a quick look? See if there's something the rest of us are missing?"

Zahir ibn Musa looks curiously over the crowd to see who responds to your suggestion.

"Maybe he gets nervous about public speaking...?" Sitra Tahan hazards a rather mundane explanation for the man's collapse, though she glances to Yeshev al-Car at the approach.

Yeshev al-Car scans towards the open squat cabin door.

Yeshev al-Car begins to watch the general direction of southward.

(Quietly): Sitra Tahan nods silently at Yeshev al-Car, turning to scan around the forecastle, "Which room did they take him to? The southern cabin?"

It is night, the hour of ashes.

Yeshev al-Car nods yes to Sitra Tahan.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it drifts on gently.

Alun chirps, "Or maybe it's the ghost what got him." He holds up his rope for you to see. "So there are more knots, and someone else has them? Honestly I think - ouch." He removes one hand from the rope and shakes it briefly, explaining, "Rope splinter."

Fadila Alheta gestures to the southern cabbin door as if anyone would pay attention to her.

Rostam Marzani walks through the squat cabin door.

Inaya peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Sitra Tahan dips her head to the group, "I am going to go check on him briefly, pardon me."

Firouzeh breaks from her pensive look the squat cabin door, to address the room more generally. "I would like to see the knots... if it is being offered."

Sitra Tahan walks away through the squat cabin door.

"Yes, there are more knots," Zahra confirms to Alun. She's still not looking at anyone in particular. But she's certainly waiting.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha closes her eyes briefly, then releases her grip on her thawb. She walks a few steps forward, still looking ashen, and pull out a fistful of something from the fabric of her clothes. "It was not meant to be a secret, sayyids and sayyidas. But here - here is one of those strange knots," she offers in a restrained, but clearly audible, voice.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha gets out a strange collection of knots from a blue linen thawb in her possession.

Zahra dips a grateful nod to Marwa Baz Taa'ha when the other woman finally steps forward.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal edges an inscrutable look toward Inaya, connecting briefly there before his eyes wander back to Marwa Baz Taa'ha. His expression is decidedly neutral.

Rostam Marzani blinks as he emerges from the doorway, looking directly at Marwa Baz Taa'ha, his mouth open for a moment.

(Quietly): Yeshev al-Car shifts closer to you.

"That is what I saw. On the dead man," Inaya says, raising her voice with an effort, eyes on Marwa Baz Taa'ha. It cracks on 'dead,' falls away. She clears her throat and falls silent again.

(Hidden) Murmuring briefly as he passes through the crowd, Yeshev al-Car whispers to you, "Keep this from falling to chaos. I'll keep an eye on him."

Yeshev al-Car shifts away from you.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes exhales in a long, sharp breath as Marwa Baz Taa'ha comes forward, holding out the tangle of knots, and she gives the other woman a small nod -- not that she is at all likely to see it.

Yeshev al-Car walks away through the squat cabin door.

Zahra trails a look after the departing Yeshev al-Car before her gaze returns to the crowd.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha inclines her head politely to you in return. Then she looks to Inaya, locking eyes at her words.

Halima Tifour peers at the not curiously.

Zahir ibn Musa hums curiously, looking the knots over.

Ziyad Farhat starts to take a step forward with his eyes glued on the knots, but catches himself before fully committing and stays where he is to look over them intently without crowding Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

Halima Tifour looks at Marwa Baz Taa'ha's right hand.

Rostam Marzani exhales slowly and says, after a few moments, "Well, then. We have the knots. I suppose..." He trails off, looking around. "I suppose that the discussion should now center on what we do with them. May I propose that we allow the Convict to.. at least briefly.. hold them?"

Alun is peering out a porthole window thoughtfully.

The ship moves across serene waves on beneath you.

Zahra nods her agreement with Rostam Marzani. "Him and the Priestess should both be allowed to study them further, I think. The ghost specifically mentioned they would know what to do with them."

Here, Jackal finally shifts from his spot. The unchained convict pushes up onto his feet but doesn't step away from it -- not yet. "Place the knots on the crate here," he invites Marwa Baz Taa'ha, tapping thin fingers to it. "Where we may all see them." He doesn't seem all that keen on touching the knots just yet. He wants a better look first.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes shakes her head slightly, then raises her voice somewhat again to call out to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "What do you feel when you hold them? Or see when you look at them? Anything at all?"

Jackal straightens to stand beside a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Fadila Alheta restlessly fidgets but doesn't say anything. She looks anxiously around.

"What of sayyid Zahir?" Inaya asks, ticking a look to Zahir ibn Musa.

Rostam Marzani nods first to you, then to Jackal, falling silent.

Esfandiar Shirazi pets his mustache as he looks on, following the knots with his eyes. At Inaya's question, he glances toward Zahir ibn Musa, a dark brow lofting.

Zahra looks over to Inaya and mentions, "If they are set out on the crate as requested by the Convict, then all may study them. But the ghost specifically said it would be the Priestess and the Convict who would know what to do with them, was it not?" She lifts her shoulders into a little shrug at that.

Simply, Rostam Marzani says, "It was."

Zahra then turns her attention back to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, clearly interested in her answer to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes's question.

Zahir ibn Musa blinks at Inaya's mention of his name, and shrugs at you and Rostam Marzani's explanation.

You begin to watch the general direction of southward.

"We should all look anyway," Jackal encourages with a lazy flip of one hand. "Many minds at work on the same problem is how complex things are solved." For now though, he's likewise watching Marwa Baz Taa'ha, due to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes's question.

Fadila Alheta mutters and shifts considering departing.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais nods slowly at Sitra Tahan. He doesn't move, but there's a look towards Yeshev al-Car then.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes clicks her tongue consideringly against her teeth, studying Marwa Baz Taa'ha, then Zahir ibn Musa. She frowns and mutters, "The ghost may be the one who attempted to make something of these knots, but I don't know that he isn't only guessing like the rest of us."

"Or that his interests are our interests," Esfandiar Shirazi interjects from where he stands near Inaya.

Inaya only watches Zahir ibn Musa, now.

Zahir ibn Musa watches Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes tips her chin down in a small nod of agreement to Esfandiar Shirazi.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha shudders, then moves toward Jackal. With a small nod on her head, she places the tangle of knots atop the crate. "There. So all may see it." She pulls her hand and steps back with an intake of breath, then looks to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes at the question. "I felt a deep cold upon touching it, at first," she says slowly. "And then coming up to - to an unnatural warmth. And a sense of... unease. Sickliness."

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal inclines his head a little after Esfandiar Shirazi's words too. It's a thought shared.

Fadila Alheta looks to Ziyad Farhat.

Firouzeh looks back to Esfandiar Shirazi, seemingly nodding in agreement as his statement.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha approaches a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha puts a strange collection of knots on a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Ziyad Farhat nods his head as he watches the exchange. "The ghost did indeed say that. So the Priestess and the Convict is the key..." He rubs his chin and his weight shifts from one foot to the other. "But the rest of us may still glean something, or help the two of them identify whatever it is they're meant to know..."

Brow furrowing, Zahir ibn Musa says, "Really..."

Wordlessly, Rostam Marzani drifts closer, briefly reaching to touch Marwa Baz Taa'ha's shoulder with a grateful look aside as he gazes down at the knots. He makes no attempt to touch them, frowning and absently tonguing the side of his cheek.

Jackal shuffles a step or two back as Marwa Baz Taa'ha approaches, and winds his arms together into a knot all of their own, as though to put her at her ease. He even looks away from her, so that she isn't being hounded by his black eyes. They follow instead the path of the Dead Man's Knots, and settle upon them on the crate.

Looking over at a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes, Zahir ibn Musa says, "Was it like that when you handled them?"

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: There's concern evident in Yeshev al-Car's keen blue eyes, but his face remains otherwise impassive as he continues appraising Yasin's condition from his spot in the doorframe.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha is standing by a bilge-sodden oakwood crate upon which is a tangle of knots, looking a little ashen. (Room Pose Set)

A lean, red-haired young man cranes his head to look over at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate upon which the knots rest, but otherwise makes no move to rise to his feet or otherwise approach.

Zahra nods to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, offering a, "Thank you," to the woman. But then she is directing out to the rest of the forecastle, "I just wish to remind that I specifically asked for the knots to be brought out at this time so that *all* could study them. I was not trying to exclude anyone in my reiteration of the ghost's words. As I have been saying from the beginning." She lifts her bronzed hands. "All of us -- everyone here in this room -- has a strength. Everyone here in this room has a part to play in solving this mystery." She falls silent, then, her bit said.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Sitra Tahan lets her hand drift to Yasin's chest a moment, her palm pressing against his heart lightly before she opens her eyes and looks back to Yeshev al-Car and Owais, "I don't s-ns- -n-thing... str-ng- -bo-t him. I think his sp-ll -ith-r h-s - mor- m-nd-n- c--s-, or wh-t-v-r did it to him h-sn't ling-r-d."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Calling softly towards Yeshev al-Car, Owais asks, "Do -- w-nn- sit h-r- with him..?"

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes shakes her head in Zahir ibn Musa's direction. "It was cold, yes," she tells him. "And.. as I said, it felt.. not right. But some magical things simply do, sometimes..." She trails off thoughtfully, then gives another and sharper headshake.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Owais glances to Sitra Tahan, blinking a few times in evident relief as he processes those words.

(Quietly): Zahra ticks a quick glance toward the port cabin door for a moment.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

Esfandiar Shirazi looks at you when she speaks, with watchful, critical eyes, his expression unmoving. Some time before she is finished, he turns his attention to Zahir ibn Musa and a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car's gaze flits between Owais and Sitra Tahan, asking tersely but not angrily, "H- w-s looking -t som-thing, d--p-r in th- for-c-stl-, b-for- f-ll. Did -ith-r of -o- f--l -n-thing?"

Brow furrowing, Zahir ibn Musa says, "Huh."

Speaking up, Rostam Marzani says, "During one appearance of the ghost, I believe a particular knot was shown. Does anyone have a drawing of that knot?"

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yasin's condition is unchanging - he hasn't improved since he dropped like a boulder in the dirt out in the forecastle. If anyone looked at him very, very closely, they might observe that he's still dripping beads of sweat, and his breathing is a little erratic, but other than that, he doesn't appear physically 'off'.

Alun takes a step closer to peer at the collection of knots, frowning as he scrutinizes it.

"If all of us have a part then." Fadila Alheta says gazing at the crate upon which the dead man's knots rest then listens as Rostam Marzani asks a question.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car goes to stand near a narrow bunk, joining a small crowd.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes shrugs, adding, "Besides that, it seemed more like simply an interesting puzzle. This woman may well sense things far beyond me."

Firouzeh is soon enough making her way over to a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, curiosity evident as if it is the first time she is seeing the item. Wordlessly, and without too much hesitation, she reaches out to touch the collection of tangles. (Stand - near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate -)

Ziyad Farhat cocks his head slightly to one side with his eyes narrowed. He doesn't approach a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, but he does lean forward a bit to inspect the collection of knots from where he's standing, attempting to trace pattern with his gaze.

Rostam Marzani peers towards the open squat cabin door.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya does not move from her place on the wall near the fore corridor, uncurious, unwilling, or perhaps only restrained.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car crosses the tiny cabin in a few steps with a swift nod to Owais. "H-'s m- fri-nd," he says, as though that simple statement explains everything. "--- t--- --- ---- ---, --t t----."

Alun says aside to Ziyad Farhat, expression perplexed, "It's sort of a mess, isn't it?"

Esfandiar Shirazi remains as the edge of the room, by towards the dingy west end of the forecastle, but watches carefully - the people, not the knots. He seems largely uninterested in those.

Zahra doesn't seem to have an answer for Fadila Alheta.

Jackal draws a thin hand up to pass fingers over his mouth, a sharp frown fastened onto his brow. He watches Firouzeh reach for the knots, making no move to do so himself just yet.

Zahir ibn Musa goes to move near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, joining a small crowd, with a thoughtful frown as he move in to get a closer look at the knots.

Halima Tifour listens quietly to the conversation, eying the strange knots with unrestrained curiosity.

Distractedly, Ziyad Farhat says to Alun, "It would appear so from a first glance, but it was made with purpose, so there must be a pattern in its make."

Firouzeh takes out a strange collection of knots from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes turns her gaze back towards the knots, looking towards them almost wistfully. But she keeps her distance from them, and allows the others to crowd around for a better look.

Fadila Alheta hovers at the fringes of the crowd, still huddled on the floor away from the knots, biting her lip and muttering.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Sitra Tahan looks at Yeshev al-Car curiously, "H-s h- gott-n h-rt r-c-ntl-?"

Firouzeh puts a strange collection of knots on a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Zahra drifts her way in closer toward Jackal, picking her way carefully through the crowd. (Move - near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate -)

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): "Would you like to speak on your visions, at some point?" Zahra lowly wonders of Jackal, flicking a glance down his way. "Of what you saw down in the bilge?"

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car shakes his head over at Sitra Tahan. "R-t bit-s, th- -s--l...h- knows how to look for signs of inf-ction, tho-gh..."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car takes stock of Yasin.

Firouzeh picks the knots up, turning them over carefully in her hands a few times, but never letting them move more than a few measures from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate. There is little fuss from the elder at the action... she seems largely unimpressed with the item.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha would have nodded gratefully to Rostam Marzani's touch. She watches those interested mill and discuss the knot. But with a short gasp and jump she suddenly presses a hand to an ear, as if having felt something unexpected. She steps back hastily, away from the crowd and Jackal.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it calmly moves over glimmering waters.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car scrunches up his face, thinking a moment before adding to Sitra Tahan, "H- w-s...tossing, in his sl--p, this morning. -nd m-mbling som-thing...I didn't c-tch th- words. Not Sird-bi." He pauses, shaking his head quickly. "I fig-r-d it w-s som-thing -b-t his f-mil-, or n-rv-s -bo-t tonight."

Zahir ibn Musa tells Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "Are you alright?"

Esfandiar Shirazi frowns subtly, head turning to follow Marwa Baz Taa'ha's movement.

Firouzeh lifts her gaze abruptly from the knots to look on at Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

Rostam Marzani follows Marwa Baz Taa'ha as she steps back, frowning. He pauses a bit of distance away, giving the woman some space, one eyebrow lifted in question.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes jumps slightly at Marwa Baz Taa'ha's gasp, and her gaze jumps towards her too. Her brows draw together in a worried frown, and then she slants a vaguely suspicious look at the knots again.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: "F-st-ring wo-ld b- m- conc-rn," Sitra Tahan admits to Yeshev al-Car, though she soon nods to both men, "L-t him r-st for now, I s-ppos-. I'll r-t-rn, b-t h- h-s -o- both to w-tch ov-r him."

Esfandiar Shirazi watches Marwa Baz Taa'ha with clinical interest, eyes narrowing just slightly as he focuses there.

Ziyad Farhat turns his attentiona way from the knots to Marwa Baz Taa'ha with a brow lifted in a questioning manner.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car takes stock of Yasin.

Fadila Alheta worries at one of her braids removeing several sea shell beads, then repatterning the design in her hair.

Jackal keeps his eyes with the knots, and curls fingers away from his mouth to answer you, frank and upfront. "If you like. But I do not think it useful."

Then clearing his throat, the convict speaks up so that others may hear, if they care to. "During the overturn of power, when I was set free and escorted down to the bilge," he begins, "I went there to answer the ghost's call. It has been haunting me there in the crew's quarters for weeks." A sour curl to his mouth.

You step away from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, leaving.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Sitra Tahan walks away through the squat cabin door.

Sitra Tahan walks through the squat cabin door.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Owais straightens to stand near a narrow bunk, nodding to Yeshev al-Car, somewhat reluctantly.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car gives Yasin a closer inspection. He freezes, something on the bearded man's neck seeming to catch his attention. Shaking his head quickly, he continues his inspection, seeming to find nothing that explains the man's current condition.

Zahra steps away from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, leaving room for others to inspect the knots as she returns to mingling with the crowd at large.

Halima Tifour dips a feather quill in some ink.

Alun observes Jackal thoughtfully.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha tries to calm herself, blinking back everything as she straightens her spine and sets her mouth into a thin line. "No, I think--" she would begin to say to Zahir ibn Musa, and then she folds into herself. "Don't ask me that," she hisses, frowning and directed to no one clearly obvious.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it moves across serene waves.

Esfandiar Shirazi tilts his head, gaze fixed on Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes makes a sharp `tch` noise, looking far more interested in whatever Marwa Baz Taa'ha is experiencing than in whatever anyone else presently has to say.

"But when we arrived, the dead man was still and quiet. Asleep. Instead, I Saw..." Jackal frowns. "... well. I Saw knots." "Knots like ghosts themselves. Pale, all around. A knotwork tangled about the ship itself." With a hike of one sharp shoulder toward his ear, he finishes more quietly, "I understand that the door appeared in that spot some days later. So... it was probably just related that."

Halima Tifour cocks her head at Marwa Baz Taa'ha. "Is the ghost speaking to you?"

Sitra Tahan steps out of the southern cabin's door, returning to join the forecastle crowd with a curious look.

Inaya seems to be keeping an eye on Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

Zahra splits her attention in between Jackal and Marwa Baz Taa'ha before she is then stepping in closer toward Sitra Tahan when she notices the Priestess return.

You shift closer to Sitra Tahan.

There's a subtle sense of tension as you move close.

Rostam Marzani casts a glance around, looking briefly in Jackal's direction and nodding to him as though to acknowledge the words.

Zahir ibn Musa seems mildly taken aback by Marwa Baz Taa'ha's latter words, dips his head and shifts a bit further away.

Jackal takes out a strange collection of knots from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

(Hidden) "Priestess," Zahra quietly greets Sitra Tahan in an undertone before she's then catching her up swiftly. "Sayyida Marwa presented the knots for inspection. They are on that crate over there. She seems to be hearing a voice at present. The Jackal is speaking on the visions he received down in the bilge on the day of the mutiny. And Sayyid Marzani earlier asked if anyone had drawn a picture of the knot the ghost had shown at one point and no one answered him."

Jackal doesn't fuss Marwa Baz Taa'ha at all, though he does angle a brief, knowing look her way. Then without another word, he gingerly reaches out and collects the knots into the curl of his digits.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Despite standing aside for Yeshev al-Car's inspection, Owais lingers near the bunk, watching.

Sitra Tahan gets out a small sheet of paper from a tan inikiskin mizuda in her possession.

Sitra Tahan turns a small sheet of paper over to the back.

Fadila Alheta says "A tangled net?" "It could be." She pauses before continuing, "A tangled net that mirrors the one around our ship, that's why we are here."

Esfandiar Shirazi glances at Fadila Alheta with that same narrow-eyed gaze.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Catching something in Owais's eyes, maybe, Yeshev al-Car says, "I'v- got him." A beat, before he adds more gently, "-nd -o-'ll b- fin- o-t th-r-. B-t if -o- w-nt to st--, I'm not going to kick -o- o-t."

Sitra Tahan nods gently at you, soon producing a small sheet of paper to hold up, "I did see the ghost make a knot, and I drew it as well as I could remember,"

Marwa Baz Taa'ha drops her head and covers her face for a few moments, blocking out her view. Then she takes in a deep breath and raises her head with a steely resolve. "I-- I do not think there is a door," she says, sounding visibly shaken, glancing to Halima Tifour. "My husband tells me there is no door."

Jackal goes rigid almost immediately, jaw gritting as a shudder races down through him.

"Thank you, Jackal," Zahra gently calls out toward Jackal, seemingly slipping back into her habit of using that pet name for him rather than just stamping him with the title of Convict. But then her gaze is sharpening upon the mongrel in question while she watches him shudder.

Esfandiar Shirazi gets out a small, polished prayer stone from a tasseled barracan mizuda of darkest indigo adorned with beads in his possession.

Halima Tifour frowns at Marwa Baz Taa'ha. "Marwa... is your husband alive?"

Rostam Marzani glances to Fadila Alheta and dips his head, then goes back to looking around. He freezes briefly at Marwa Baz Taa'ha's words, then his attention deviates toward Jackal.

Esfandiar Shirazi withdraws a small, polished prayer stone and clutches it in his closed fist, nostrils flaring as he looks around.

Sitra Tahan wonders quietly with a bemused look at the others, "Is the ghost her husband...?"

Zahir ibn Musa hums and nods to Fadila Alheta, but then his attention shifts, to Sitra Tahan, Marwa Baz Taa'ha, and finally Jackal.

You shift away from Sitra Tahan.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car takes stock of Yasin.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes blinks at Marwa Baz Taa'ha, eyes widening. She starts to take a step forward towards the other woman, then apparently thinks better of it and steps *back* instead.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car furrows his brow, feeling around on Yasin's back under his kaftan and bisht.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car starts to take a snug natural-hued homespun bisht from Yasin.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car is watching over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair carefully. (Room Pose Set)

Firouzeh flicks her gaze between Jackal and Marwa Baz Taa'ha before making her way for... perhaps what she considers a safer location to idly watch on. (Stand - near the way towards the dingy west end of the forecastle -)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Owais lingers near a narrow bunk, observing a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair and a slender, black-haired young man. (Room Pose Set)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais speaks, "-o- c-r- -bo-t him - lot?"

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yasin does not seem to resist Yeshev al-Car's appropriation of a snug natural-hued homespun bisht.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car murmurs, half to himself, as he rolls up some of Yasin's clothing, "S---t---g f---s -ff -- --s --ck...k--- -f --g- f-- - --t --t-..." He doesn't stop what he's doing to answer Owais, solemnly, "I do."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car takes stock of Yasin.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car starts to take a form-fitting buff homespun kaftan from Yasin.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha opens her mouth hesitantly at Halima Tifour's question. "He-- For a decade he has been--" But the words change into a sudden, short scream - a small and muffled one as she covers her mouth and drops to the floor, trembling all over and burying her face in her knees.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yasin does not seem to resist Yeshev al-Car's appropriation of a form-fitting buff homespun kaftan.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car takes stock of Yasin.

Zahra's attention pulls from its fixation upon Jackal only at the sound of Marwa Baz Taa'ha's scream. Only then does it cut toward her.

Zahir ibn Musa blinks, looking to Marwa Baz Taa'ha now as well. He takes another wary half step back.

Reserve breaking, Rostam Marzani steps forward and kneels beside Marwa Baz Taa'ha, trying to rest a hand on her back. He doesn't speak, just stays on one knee. His gaze lifts, challengingly, but not to anyone in particular. Instead, he searches the empty spaces, eyes narrowed.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Rostam Marzani approaches a bilge-sodden oakwood crate and shifts to approach Marwa Baz Taa'ha...

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car finally manages to slip the kaftan and bisht from Yasin, working them free of the large man taking no small effort. He feels around the man's shoulders, before giving a short shake of his head. "Pr-b-bl- j-st scr-p-d -p fr-m th- f-ll, -r th- v---g-." He begins balling the bisht into a makeshift pillow, before draping the kaftan over the man like a blanket. "H- sl--ps lik- this -v-r- night," he says to Owais, though no one was asking.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha drops to a crouch near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes twitches very sharply in startlement, stifling a short yelp of her own. Her gaze flicks around the forecastle, from Marwa Baz Taa'ha to the knots and to the others gathered, and she shivers.

Esfandiar Shirazi does take a step back reflexively at the sound of Marwa Baz Taa'ha's scream, brow furrowing almost accusingly at her.

Rostam Marzani drops to kneel near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car drops a snug natural-hued homespun bisht near a narrow bunk.

Halima Tifour glances around the cabin with a grim frown. "I think we be careful from now on when listening to the words of the dead."

The scream appears to rattle Jackal back to his senses too, now clutching the knots in a fierce grip. He blinks focus back into his eyes and turns to discover Marwa Baz Taa'ha on the floor, then looks round at the others as though expecting one of them to know what to do. Turns out it's Rostam Marzani.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A form-fitting buff homespun kaftan has been folded over neatly and tucked beneath a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's head. (Room Pose Arranged)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car drops a form-fitting buff homespun kaftan near a narrow bunk.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya only watches, unflinching at the scream, though her eyes perhaps widen just a touch. She frowns, and shifts her attention from Marwa Baz Taa'ha, glancing aside toward a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes instead.

Sitra Tahan draws her lips into a frown at Marwa Baz Taa'ha's reaction, watching the other woman with concern. Shifting, a mix of concern and confusion swirls over her features.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A beige lambswool bisht has been folded over neatly and tucked beneath a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's head. (Room Pose Arranged)

Zahir ibn Musa shifts a bit closer to Jackal and asks quietly "Well?" though he's still mostly watching Marwa Baz Taa'ha.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais nods solemnly to Yeshev al-Car, gaze still half-on Yasin. "H- told m- onc- th-t -m," he starts, awkwardly. "I r-mind-d him of his -o-ng-r broth-r."

Alun takes another reflexive step forward at the scream, half-raising his left hand, then pauses and lets it drop. He closes his eyes and heaves a little sigh instead.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha says in a shuddering voice, "I'm so sorry-- So sorry--" She's hardly the usual woman she was before, composure in utter shambles. "He is so angry..."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A vermillion broadcloth kaftan is draped over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A vermillion broadcloth kaftan is draped over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

Esfandiar Shirazi is there one moment, gone the next.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A loose-fitting buff muslin turban is draped over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

Halima Tifour says to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "This might not come as any comfort, but I don't think that's your husband."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A loose-fitting buff muslin turban is draped over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

Firouzeh watches on wide-eyed, unsure where to let her eyes land. They flick nervously between Jackal and Marwa Baz Taa'ha. A jade inlayed gold ring is twisted in a nervous fidget methodically around her finger.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A vermillion broadcloth kaftan is draped over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A snug natural-hued homespun bisht is draped over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

Halima Tifour glances at the strange knots again, this time with a tad more caution.

Leaning in now, speaking softly, Rostam Marzani tells Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and try to feel the deck beneath you. Smell the air. Those things are real. This is a trick. This is a lie. Your husband is at peace."

Zahra is back to watching Jackal now, leaving Marwa Baz Taa'ha in Rostam Marzani's manly, capable hands. Her gaze fixes there, perhaps waiting for him to answer Zahir ibn Musa.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it floats peacefully onward.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car flicks a meaningful glance towards Owais. "Th-t's - high pr-is-, from him. --sin's broth-r is v-r-, v-r- d--r to him."

Jackal shoots a scowl aside at Zahir ibn Musa and bitches hotly, "--Do not badger me!" The tension in it isn't all Zahir ibn Musa's fault, though. Still, this prompting encourages the wretch to draw his eyes away from Marwa Baz Taa'ha and back down onto the knots in his hand. The other comes up to join it, and between bony fingers, the collection is slowly turned over. Examined from all different angles, thoroughly.

Fadila Alheta sighs painfully as Marwa Baz Taa'ha screams and collapses. Her eyes flick from person to another. Her last remark about a tagngled net mostly unnoticed. She places a rash covered hand on the ground as if ready to rise muttering about visions.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A form-fitting buff homespun kaftan is draped like a blanket over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. (Room Pose Arranged)

Mitsky climbs over from down a splintery hole in the floor.

Mitsky climbs up adroitly, with the aid of a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: A snug natural-hued homespun bisht is folded over and tucked beneath a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's head. (Room Pose Arranged)

Jackal stands by the crate, slowly examining a strange collection of knots. (Room Pose Set)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car seems, at very long last, to be satisfied with his fussing and futzing over the condition of Yasin's bedding. He takes a seat on the lower bunk beside the man, watching Owais now.

Rostam Marzani is kneeling close to an austere Sirdabi woman with copper eyes. (Room Pose Set)

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes really does yelp out loud this time, as Mitsky comes scrabbling up the rope right next to her.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car sits down on a narrow bunk.

Ziyad Farhat folds his arms across his chest and shivers slightly, glancing around him in a wary manner. "The influence of the knots perhaps..." He murmurs softly under his breath. His sympathetic gaze shifts from Marwa Baz Taa'ha to Jackal and he murmurs again, "Anyone who wishes to handle them might do well to fortify themselves for similar experiences."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car sits on the edge of a narrow bunk with a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair. (Room Pose Set)

Sitra Tahan also drifts closer over to Jackal, and the knots he holds, brow knitted as she studies the length of rope as well. (Stand - near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate -)

Marwa Baz Taa'ha is curled up in a ball by a crate, shuddering and in some sort of distress. (Room Pose Set)

Zahir ibn Musa gives a quiet, skeptical hum.

Rostam Marzani shudders and jerks a glance over his shoulder, then begins to rub Marwa Baz Taa'ha's back, his jaw flexing.

Louder, Rostam Marzani says, "The ghost warned us. It said the spirits would try to distract us."

Zahra is silent now, perhaps letting the meeting unfold as it may at this point -- until she needs to step back in and nudge it in a particular direction. Within her silence, she drifts closer to the open port cabin door and leans against its frame, her attention splitting between the cramped cabin and the large crowd within the forecastle. (Move - near the frame of the open squat cabin door -)

OOC: Your pose will read 'a pantherine, aurelian-eyed young woman is lingering by the open door of the port cabin.'.

Sitra Tahan twitches suddenly, a hand flying up to cover the back of her neck and her head snapping to look sharply over her shoulder.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Somewhat sadly, Owais finally mutters, "W-sh - h-d - br-th-r l-k- h-m."

There's a faint tremor in Jackal's hands, and his dark eyes lose their typical sharp focus, growing glassy. There's a certain angle at which he stops turning the knots over, and two of his fingers come away from it, as though to trace along some unseen trail.

A silent look is Mitsky's cautionary response to a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes; he is quick to pull his focus towards those gathered at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, but doesn't move any closer than to clear space for someone else to rise out of a splintery hole in the floor.

Halima Tifour watches Jackal pensively.

As the talk about ghosts goes on and people begin startling and looking over their shoulders almost as much as she normally does, a fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes abruptly seems to deem all the events up to this point sufficient for one night. She makes a hasty sidestep back towards the hole in the floor and scrambles back down and out of sight.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes begins to climb down the scaffolding.

A fox-faced woman with apprehensive green eyes climbs away down a splintery hole in the floor.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha breathes raggedly as Rostam Marzani does what he does, showing no resistance. It's not even clear how aware she is of the hand at her back. Eventually she looks up, cheeks tear-streaked, but gaze angry. "He isn't at peace, sayyid," she whispers to him. "Even before all of this, he wasn't at peace. I am not being -tricked-, I am sure of it."

Around you, the ship moves across serene waves.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Sitra Tahan asks quietly of Jackal as she slowly relaxes and turns back to regard the knots, "Do -o- know now how to compl-t- it?"

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car nods solemnly to Owais, his voice gentle still. "H-'s on- of th- b-st m-n I'v- -v-r m-t." He cocks his head, considering the young ship witch curiously now. "--- ---- --- f-----, -s----? -- -s -t --st t-- s---?"

Zahra shoots a look over toward Jackal again, fixing him with all of her usual intensity. In further silence, she watches.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car begins to watch the general direction of northward.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car drifts an occasional glance towards the forecastle through the open door, though his attention remains mainly rooted on Owais.

Rostam Marzani meets Marwa Baz Taa'ha's gaze steadily, answering that anger with a simple, acknowledging, nod. "Alright," he says softly. There's no doubt in his voice, but a hint of a question. And then he goes ahead and voices it. "Do you want to tell us about it?"

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal washes his tongue round his teeth, frowning hard now. Sitra Tahan's voice reminds him that he's not standing alone here, and the haggard wretch turns a fraction toward her, holding the knots between them both. "... Do you s-- th-m too...?" he wonders, voice hushed now, as though not to disturbing something. Or someone. "... t-- t-----s... --t ------s t--- --- ------g--ss..."

Alun cants his head.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais gives a headshake to Yeshev al-Car. "I h-d - moth-r," he admits. "B-t I don't r-m-mb-r h-r f-c-." There's a hitch of a small and helpless shrug, before he ducks his head to look at Yasin's sleeping face. "Sh- di-d, I c-n't r--ll- r-m-mb-r m-ch of th-t -ith-r."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais speaks, "How bo-t -o-?"

Halima Tifour writes on a leather-bound tome with a feather quill dipped in dark bluish-black ink.

Halima Tifour reads a leather-bound tome.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Sitra Tahan is quiet now, a hand soon extending out so she might touch her fingertips against that knotted length of rope rather than answer Jackal just yet.

Halima Tifour tears a page out of a leather-bound tome.

Halima Tifour is unable to grip a page torn from a book, so she leaves it to the side.

Zahir ibn Musa echoes quietly "Threads..."

Halima Tifour puts a feather quill in a rugged zharalhide mizuda.

Fadila Alheta says "I have not spoken yet." "though what i have to say may be." She pauses and just drop the topic getting readhy to leave, seemingly ready to just let the others figure out the knots.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal grazes a thumb aside to make way for Sitra Tahan's hand, avoiding any contact with her, but leaving the knots open to her.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car freezes for a moment. He lets out a rueful hiss of air, shaking his head slowly at Owais. "Orph-n." The word comes out almost like an apology, one that isn't spoken often.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha stares at Rostam Marzani for a few more moments, the heat of her gaze slowly dissipating without fuel. She is silent for a long time, clearly thinking. Eventually her gaze drops away, and she looks around all those gathered in the room.

Halima Tifour straightens and walks over to the general area.

Halima Tifour picks up a page torn from a book from the floor.

Zahra turns her head just a little bit toward the port cabin, clearly listening to something there. But even so, her attention ticks in between Jackal and Sitra Tahan, just watching them both. But then Fadila Alheta speaks and she calls out, "Speak, if you wish to speak, Sayyida. No one is stopping you."

"Speak, Fadila," Inaya raises her voice to call across, rasping and hoarse.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Halima Tifour picks up a page torn from a book from the floor.

Halima Tifour picks up a page torn from a book from the floor.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Halima Tifour puts a page torn from a book in a rugged zharalhide mizuda.

Halima Tifour drops a page torn from a book on the floor.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car gets out a worn coin from saffron-yellow knit sirwaal in his possession, his gaze dropping down to it as he slips it out quietly.

Halima Tifour drops to lie down on the floor.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car keeps an eye on the area.

Halima Tifour gets out a feather quill from a rugged zharalhide mizuda in her possession.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car reaches out to touch a worn coin.

Fadila Alheta looks to Inaya and salutes her and says, "Its fine captain." "I don't have too."

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Marwa Baz Taa'ha wipes her eyes roughly with trembling fingertips, composing herself. Rostam Marzani might feel the quaking of her back has almost disappeared, though the tremble still remains with every intake of breath.

(At the southern Port Cabin): Zahra breathes out a very sloooooow sigh through her nose at something or another.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

Rostam Marzani studies Marwa Baz Taa'ha closely now, brow furrowing as he rubs her back, then slowly withdraws as she composes herself. He, too, glances up and around the room, taking a moment to nod encouragement toward Fadila Alheta. "Please, Sayyida. We want to hear."

"I ask you to," Inaya replies to Fadila Alheta, perhaps more quietly-- perhaps too quietly to be heard well with all that's going on.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais gives Yeshev al-Car a slight nod, and there's a measure of glum understanding in those topaz eyes. He returns focus to Yasin.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yasin visibly sinks into an even deeper sleep, dead to the world.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car worries his thumb, slowly, over the smoothed-over face of a worn coin. "S------ --s--'s ---------, -- --'s ----- ----." His voice sounds distant as he explains, unbidden. "I did wh-t I co-ld for th- oth-rs, b-t...most'v- -s w-r- sc-tt-r-d or in c-lls within - ---r of hitting th- str--ts." His gaze wanders to Yasin a moment, thinking, before snapping back to Owais. His voice, more alert. "Ow-is. Th- st-ff T-kr- w-s m-king -o- mov-. Do -o- know how th- drop h-pp-n-d?"

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Sitra Tahan shakes her head faintly, even as her fingertips ghost along the knots and onward past their end to trace the empty air, "I c-n s-- wh-r- th-- -r- s-ppos-d to b- finish-d, b-t I c-n't s-- I --t know how..."

Halima Tifour picks up a page torn from a book from the floor.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Accompanied by a sound of distant whispering, a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope gives a tremor.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Around you, the ship floats peacefully onward.

Mitsky flinches at the sudden movement of a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope, visible even from his (not so considerable; this is a boat, after all) distance away from the center of the commotion.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais is quiet and solemn at Yeshev al-Car's first explanation, but then he stiffens with a quick look and a series of blinks at that question. "-h..."

Halima Tifour blinks, looking up from her papers at the tremors of the rope.

Alun peers towards a splintery hole in the floor.

Halima Tifour peers towards a splintery hole in the floor.

Zahir ibn Musa hums dubiously and looks over toward a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Owais squints towards the open squat cabin door.

Zahra's gaze has become glazed, thoughts clearly elsewhere. Her fingers tremble a bit in the midst of such thoughts. But then she's snapping a look up and over toward that rope.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Owais glances out through the door briefly, then back to Yeshev al-Car.

Sourly, Rostam Marzani says, "If that rope starts whipping people, we're all trained in how to deal with it. Make. More. Oakum."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais speaks, "... th-r- w-r- - f-w of th- cr-w who'd h-lp with th-t, b-t th--'r- -ll -- d--d, or v-nish-d."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais shifts uncomfortably. "W- -in't s-ppos-d to t-lk -bo-t it," he adds, quietly, "B-t I r-ckon it don't m-tt-r -n-mor-. Not sinc- -m. C-pt-in In--- took ov-r."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car follows Owais's gaze to the door with an understanding nod. He rises, crossing swiftly to shut it.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya casts a small smirk toward Rostam Marzani at this, but otherwise remains still and steady where she stands.

Jackal's eyes follow the path of Sitra Tahan's fingers, and he gives a faint nod of agreement. They're in the same boat there -- you know, beyond the most literal sense. He doesn't know either. He stiffens all over again with the rope on the floor tremors, and blinks over at it. But rather than approach, he instead holds a hand out toward Alun and requests in a distant sort of voice, "You. Boy... Pass me your knots. The-- the rope knots. I want to... want to see..."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car straightens to stand near a narrow bunk, purposefully.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car goes to stand near the frame of the open squat cabin door.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Owais watches Yeshev al-Car.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Zahir ibn Musa tells Rostam Marzani, "Sayyid Marzani, were you there, when the ghost mentioned... the Priestess?"

Fadila Alheta nods to Rostam Marzani and Inaya and takes a deep breath. "Very well." She rises to her feet then and begins. "I have had three occurances that were odd." "Tbhe first one, I went down to check the crew quarters one day, to alltert people of the presence of food." "It was perhaps about three weeks ago." "I saw there were rats tied into nooses hanging there." "I fainted." "The second." "I was cooking in the galley when I saw a vision of a grey misty figure." "This was perhaps eighteen days ago or so." "The vision was of a grey figure, he or she, did not speak." "But held out a hand to urge me to follow." "I did not." "He urged me twice more before he vanished." "the last one was over a week ago." "I saw that the mist was a curtain of dispair being fed by our illness and pain." "Then in the midst of the dispair I saw sunlight on the water." "The sunlight was warm and bright, and I could smell the freshness of the sea air, on a warm day." "It was compelling enough that I lost myself for a time within the vision." "The first vision of the figure was only a fleeting thing, here." Once she is finished she sits back down.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car closes the squat cabin door.

The squat cabin door closes.

OOC: Your pose will read 'a pantherine, aurelian-eyed young woman is standing by the closed port cabin door.'.

Alun steps forward, chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully, and holds out the rope for Jackal.

Alun pulls back an arm and prepares to toss a knotted chunk of old rope to Jackal.

Jackal faces Alun and prepares to catch a knotted chunk of old rope.

Alun tosses a knotted chunk of old rope to Jackal.

Ziyad Farhat is quietly watching the interaction between Jackal and Sitra Tahan, but the corners of his lips quirk upwards at Rostam Marzani's comment. And while he cocks his head in Fadila Alheta's direction to listen to her explain her visions, his gaze mostly follows Alun and the tossed chunk of knotted rope.

Sitra Tahan draws her hand back from the rope in Jackal's hands now, focus drifting back to observe her surroundings.

Inaya smiles across at Fadila Alheta, and mouths a near-silent, "Thank you." [in Salawi]

Halima Tifour drops a page torn from a book on the floor.

Jackal nearly fumbles and drops the rope like a clumsy lummox, all distracted as he is, but they snag on his thumb and he gathers them into his hand. He holds them side-by-side with the Dead Man's Knots and looks between them, all while holding his silence to let Fadila Alheta share and be heard.

Rostam Marzani nods toward Fadila Alheta thoughtfully and says, "I *had* wondered about the suffering. Thank you, Sayyida."

Halima Tifour puts a page torn from a book in a rugged zharalhide mizuda.

Halima Tifour reads a page torn from a book.

Zahra dips her head in acknowledgement to Fadila Alheta before her gaze returns to Jackal, watching him all anew now that he is dual-wielding knots.

Alun frowns. "You see? I knew it was - ouch." He sucks on a fingertip, then carefully uses his fingernails to remove a splinter of rope.

Fadila Alheta nods to Rostam Marzani, "The mist was like a curtain and ever time we are wounded, or the spirits seize us, or someone is in dispair, it strengthons." "I felt quite affected which may have explained my deep feeling of hopelessness."

Rostam Marzani winks briefly in Ziyad Farhat's direction, far belatedly, then nods in response to Fadila Alheta.

Halima Tifour peers at her notes, focusing on them intently.

Halima Tifour departs.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Marwa Baz Taa'ha wipes her face once last time before she stands up slowly. The composure she maintains is brittle, and she remains small throughout the discussion, reddened eyes flitting between all those gathered and speaking.

Sitra Tahan lets her gaze drift between Rostam Marzani and Fadila Alheta, seeming sincere when she asks, "Maybe we should all think of our happiest memories? Maybe not now... but when we have made a decision. Maybe that will... discourage them."

Esfandiar Shirazi shows up.

Softly, Rostam Marzani says, "That one time Esfandiar complimented me."

Esfandiar Shirazi snorts, stepping out of a patch of darkness behind Inaya. "I will settle for Marzani staying out of the bilge and off the deck. That ought to reduce our injuries to noone."

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Rostam Marzani mutters, "---c---s f-- ----g s- ----."

Fadila Alheta nods to Rahin Zamani and says, "Perhaps." "But I find it no hard thing to believe that this thing which has happened might not affect us all in deep ways." "What you suggest priestess may be a good thing not now, but perhaps at a later date."

At this juncture, Jackal clears his throat and confirms what everybody already suspected: "... just rope." He rubs fingertips over the mundane tangle. "No threads. Only rope. The ghost never touched this one." He sounds very confident. Which puts at least one question to rest.

With a nod, Sitra Tahan says to Fadila Alheta, "If we want to leave, and they wish to follow or stop us, it may make the difference."

Esfandiar Shirazi reaches out to touch a fat gold pinky ring set with an amethyst.

Esfandiar Shirazi turns a fat gold pinky ring set with an amethyst over on his face, looking on distantly a moment.

Esfandiar Shirazi probably turned it over on his finger, but there's a lot of weird stuff going on, so WHO KNOWS.

With a clear of his throat, Zahir ibn Musa says, "The ghost? When it spoke, who was there?"

Alun throws his hands up theatrically.

Alun begins to climb down the scaffolding.

Alun climbs away down a splintery hole in the floor.

Rostam Marzani nods more seriously to Sitra Tahan, some of his humor fading. He glances up at Marwa Baz Taa'ha, then levers himself to his feet. "Apologies, Sayyid. You asked.. I was," he answers Zahir ibn Musa.

Rostam Marzani struggles to rise.

Rostam Marzani straightens to stand near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha straightens to stand near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Rostam Marzani visibly struggles to remain conscious.

With a nod, Zahir ibn Musa tells Rostam Marzani, "I'm curious, given what the Sayyida said, about knowing where. Do you recall what the spectre said? Precisely?"

Zahra dips a nod to Jackal, gently calling out to him across the forecastle, "Thank you."

Considering for a moment, Rostam Marzani says, "He said that the Priestess would know, when the time came. Even if she did not know now."

Zahir ibn Musa tells Rostam Marzani, "I'm concerned that information may have been lost in... interpretation."

Zahir ibn Musa tells Rostam Marzani, "Did he say *what* the priestess would know?"

Esfandiar Shirazi narrows his eyes at Rostam Marzani, glancing from him to Jackal and back again. "Was the convict not mentioned?"

Sitra Tahan says to Esfandiar Shirazi, "He was mentioned, though it was in a later statement and I don't recall that he finished the thought."

Fadila Alheta departs.

Lifting a finger as if to ask for a pause, Rostam Marzani says, "I asked him where we should go. He recited his riddle. 'Stand on the beginning of the path that the wind rides on. Then he pointed a dead rat at the Priestess, and said 'she will know. Even if she does not yet.'" Looking to Esfandiar Shirazi, he adds, "A few moments later, he said 'She and the priestess...' and then vanished."."

Esfandiar Shirazi nods with a thoughtful frown, eyes flicking toward Sitra Tahan.

Fadila Alheta arrives.

Fadila Alheta nods to those gathered content to be quiet now. She nods to Inaya "You are most erogeku tu." [in Salawi] A crisp salute follows and then she is still.

Sitra Tahan nods in agreement, seeming to approve of Rostam Marzani's retelling.

Rostam Marzani says, "Excuse me. She and the Prisoner, he said."

With a nod, Zahir ibn Musa tells Rostam Marzani, "As I thought. This would seem to indicate that the priestess would in fact know where."

Brows arching, Esfandiar Shirazi tells Rostam Marzani with a very very limited degree approval, "Better."

Zahir ibn Musa gestures in Sitra Tahan's direction. "Which appears to have been correct."

Zahir ibn Musa says, "We have, however, been operating under a somewhat less... certain assumption."

"I still do not know," Jackal freely confesses, no delicacy in dashing whatever hopes may be pinned on him. Still, it isn't for lack of trying. He now lays the knots onto the flat of his palm, setting the more mundane set aside on the crate for now.

Inaya lifts her right hand to touch fingers to the bandage over her forehead, then sweeps the hand forward away from herself, palm-up, to Fadila Alheta. She smiles faintly, and then her attention shifts to Zahir ibn Musa.

Firouzeh clears her throat after a moment, deciding to speak up to question matter-of-factly, "So what are the options then? Complete the knots?... Or not?"

Jackal puts a knotted chunk of old rope on a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "That this knowledge of where... includes the knowledge of how."

Zahra leans her head against the wall behind her, eyes closing as she momentarily loses herself in thought. Presumably.

Sitra Tahan says, "He never said I would know where... or how."

Without looking up, Jackal quietly tacks another option onto Firouzeh's set: "Or undo them."

There is a brief chilling sensation in the air here.

Looking to Sitra Tahan, Rostam Marzani says, "The priestess has a picture of a knot that was shown to her."

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Jackal shivers.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya tenses faintly.

Esfandiar Shirazi's nostrils flare and he glances around, suspicious eyes roaming.

Rostam Marzani shudders, frowning and glancing around.

Speaking up softly, Ziyad Farhat says, "There was no clear indication whether there's a specific method that would help with the knowing either, unless we must venture out to where 'the beginning of the path that the wind rides on'? We assumed that's simply where the final knot must be made, but could it be that more could be gleaned by visit before that time comes...?"

Sitra Tahan silently holds up a small sheet of paper then, a drawing sketched upon it.

Firouzeh does her best to ignore a chill, wrapping an arm around herself for some warmth. "Complete the knots, undo the knots, or ignore the knots," she lists, more to herself than in any particular direction.

Zahir ibn Musa tells Sitra Tahan, "What did you see when you handled them?"

"Throw them overboard," [in Sirdabi] Inaya raises her voice, cracking it, to suggest to Firouzeh with a faint smirk.

Jackal presses his lips together, tuning into what Ziyad Farhat is saying. He lifts a sharpening look onto that fellow, as though seeing him for the first time, and then looks aside at Inaya. "... The mists have been quieter today," he recalls, though there's some uncertainty to it.

"I would not regret it," Esfandiar Shirazi mutters in response to Inaya, arms folding against the chill.

Firouzeh grins aside to Inaya, a good amount of tension dropping from her shoulder as she nods.

Sitra Tahan says to Zahir ibn Musa, "Not how to complete them. Just that they were incomplete, and... the extension of their power, that it tied to the world around us."

"It has been a full day, without them," Inaya confirms for Jackal, hoarse and effortful in projecting what little voice she's got.

Indra Zaman walks over from towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Zahir ibn Musa tells Jackal, "And you?"

Around you, the ship moves across serene waves.

Mitsky continues to watch on in near-complete silence, certainly not lifting his voice to join all those speaking. But his gaze does track here and there, mostly upon those gathered around Jackal at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate and Inaya and Esfandiar Shirazi at the west end of the room.

Jackal turns the cold knots over in his hand again and supposes, "We could... go out on deck and take a look around. See if the 'beginning of the path the wind takes' becomes clear to us." It's quite obviously a crapshoot, but he seems to feel there's no harm in trying.

"A tangled net." [in Sirdabi] Fadila Alheta says again as if someone might remember the last time she spoke it. This time she looks as if she might not be heard or taken seriously, and is saying it out of conviction.

Jackal blinks up at Zahir ibn Musa, bluntly asking, "And me what?" Great listening skills, here.

Zahir ibn Musa tells Jackal, "What did you see?"

Rostam Marzani nods aside to Fadila Alheta, frowning a bit, then glances toward the door.

Rostam Marzani peers through a porthole window.

Zahra finally opens her eyes once more, her reverie at an end. She looks toward Sitra Tahan and wonders for clarification, "The other night, when you and Sayyid Marzani were relaying your conversation with the bilge ghost, you said that the ghost said you and the Convict would know, and that you were assuming the ghost meant that you would know how to complete the knots. But now you are saying the ghost was saying you would knot where to go instead?"

Mitsky finally speaks, calling out towards a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, "Would that have something to do with the sails? Where the wind is turned to help move the ship?" [in Sirdabi with a rocky bass-baritone]

Zahra corrects her speech to Sitra Tahan, "That you would KNOW, not knot. Pardon me."

(At the general area): Indra Zaman sinks into the room as unobtrusively as he can manage, listening silently with hands folded behind his back.

"What do you mean?" Inaya asks over toward Fadila Alheta, now, frowning. "What is the net? The curse?"

"That, or the aft, I should think," Esfandiar Shirazi murmurs aside to Mitsky.

Shaking her head before she gestures to Jackal, Sitra Tahan says to you, "He never specified what we might know. It could be how to complete them, it could be where. I don't think either of us know at the moment."

Looking between Inaya and Fadila Alheta, Esfandiar Shirazi ventures, "I am no sailor, of course, but is not a net a collection of knots itself? Hmm?"

Mitsky provides a few quick bobs of his head towards Esfandiar Shirazi but also a shrug.

Zahra dips a nod to Sitra Tahan, mentioning, "Thank you for clarifying, Priestess."

Firouzeh far too seriously comments, "Surely the riddle isn't solved by Rostam using the knots for a fishing net."

The squat cabin door opens.

Esfandiar Shirazi lets out a single staccato titter at Firouzeh's suggestion.

Softly, Rostam Marzani says, "I'm not allowed to fish."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car begins to watch the general direction of northward.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Owais walks away through the squat cabin door, slinking out.

Owais walks through the squat cabin door, slinking out.

Owais quietly slinks over to a splintery hole in the floor.

"Depends on what kind of net, sayyid," Inaya says aside to Esfandiar Shirazi. "But... maybe."

Owais goes to stand by a splintery hole in the floor, joining Fadila Alheta.

Fadila Alheta otre turns to Inaya and says, "All of it, the tangled knots, the curse, the ghost, the mist." "Its like a tangled net that surrounds the ship." "The knots are its tangible form perhaps." She looks to Rostam Marzani and Jackal, "Though they might know best." "But I see a net that has had all its knots tangled, the pattern disrupted, tightening ever slowly upon the ship." "Causing the madness, the injury, the illness, the dispair, the entire experience."

Zahra watches Owais slinking through the forecastle.

OOC: Your pose will read 'a pantherine, aurelian-eyed young woman is standing by the open port cabin door.'.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car reaches over to rub at the back of Yasin's hand as his gaze drifts towards the crowd in the forecastle.

"Indeed," Zahir ibn Musa remarks drily to Rostam Marzani, though his attention remains on Jackal.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): With a nod to Fadila Alheta, Owais speaks, "Cook... I'm gonn- go to sl--p."

Around you, the ship drifts on peacefully.

Owais begins to climb down the scaffolding.

Owais climbs away down a splintery hole in the floor.

Esfandiar Shirazi is there one moment, gone the next.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha is standing near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, appearing shaken but more-or-less composed. (Room Pose Set)

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car moves into a position to try to guard Yasin.

"... just now?" Jackal returns to Zahir ibn Musa, frowning. But he lowers his eyes again, examining the knots in now shivering hands. "I See..." He frowns. "... threads. Pulling off of the Knots in ways I can't... properly follow." These things are difficult to describe, intangible and otherworldly. But he's trying. "I think that they are left behind by the ghost. Some... signature of his influence... And holding them, I feel..." Another shiver, eyes narrowing. "... I feel the same as the Priestess did. I feel cold. And I sense... the Otherland..." But these sensations have already been shared by Sitra Tahan.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car's eyes narrow a hair, and he slips a hand underneath his bisht.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car draws a bronze-handled jambiya from a curved embroidered-leather sheath.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car lays a bronze-handled jambiya across his lap.

The ship calmly moves over glimmering waters on beneath you.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car straightens to stand near a narrow bunk.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car scans towards the open squat cabin door.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "Fascinating."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car closes the squat cabin door.

The squat cabin door closes.

Sitra Tahan nods at Jackal's words, looking to the rope, "Its power doesn't extend very far though, since it needs more knots."

Accompanied by a faint creaky groan through the area, a bilge-sodden oakwood crate gives a tremor.

Indra Zaman extends a hand. "Alright - so forgive me if we've gone over this, but what's needed to make more knots?"

Looking back to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, Zahir ibn Musa says, "Twice now it seems the..."

Fadila Alheta looks to a bilge-sodden oakwood crate eyes opening wide in fear, "By the great song!" She says, "That is, not normal."

Zahir ibn Musa trails off and looks back to Indra Zaman with a soft and somewhat hollow laugh. "That does seem to be the question."

Rostam Marzani turns and frowns at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, habitually reaching for the hilt of his saber but, mercifully, not drawing it in the crowded space.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha takes an instinctive half-step back from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, staring at it with mild alarm.

Jackal's retreating step from the crate is synchronized with Marwa Baz Taa'ha's, eying the thing sidelong.

Zahra ticks a glance toward a bilge-sodden oakwood crate along with the others, seeming a bit tired rather than alarmed at this point.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "Shall we put the knots on it? See if they arrange themselves?"

Indra Zaman tenses, reaching toward his satchel and glancing at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

"Is it toying with us or trying to tell us something?" Firouzeh offers, giving a rather suspicious glance at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate and a coil of heavy-duty hemp rope.

At this point, Jackal is up for trying anything, he all but dumps the knots back onto the crate, immediately stuffing his chilled hand into the folds of his ragged cloak.

Jackal puts a strange collection of knots on a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Firouzeh says to Zahir ibn Musa, "I'm not convinced that we should complete it... or even let it arrange further really."

Sitra Tahan takes a few steps towards a bilge-sodden oakwood crate now, watching it with a curious expression as the knots are returned.

Zahir ibn Musa watches the knots and crate curiously, perhaps with undue expectation for a couple of inanimate objects but then, perhaps not.

Eerie hissing susurrates through the area.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it floats smoothly upon calm waves.

Still watching the crate, Zahir ibn Musa tells Firouzeh, "I don't know why everyone finds it so sinister..."

The squat cabin door opens.

Zahra lightly mentions over to Zahir ibn Musa, "People often fear that which they do not understand, no?"

You peer towards the open squat cabin door...
[The Greenest Dolphin, Port Cabin]
You are on [a timeworn naval freighter].
This tiny and dingy wooden chamber has a single porthole window that looks out of the ship's port side, establishing a weak quantity of natural light through its thick and bubbled glass. A narrow bunk has been built into the wall on the right side of the door into the room, and a similarly spare desk is bolted to the left wall. Between these furnishings, there is barely space left for two people to take the few steps from door to window.
A coal-stained sack is in the corner of the cabin. A form-fitting buff homespun kaftan is draped like a blanket over a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's broad frame. A heavy iron pickaxe is leaning against a coal-stained sack. A mass of orangey-brown seamoss grows here. (x3) A snug natural-hued homespun bisht is folded over and tucked beneath a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair's head. An embossed steel cuirass is leaning against a coal-stained sack.
Yasin sleeps here.
Cardinal Exits: north: squat cabin door (open)

Indra Zaman peers about.

Raising a brow, Firouzeh says to Zahir ibn Musa, "The creepy ghost knots that give people visions of their dead husband?"

Ziyad Farhat turns to stare at a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, and then cocks his head at the hissing sound. His hand creeps towards a mahogany suede mizuda. "Not normal at all... But we've also confronted ghosts and monsters in the mist, so a moving crate isn't as terrifying in comparison." He clears his throat and speaks in a louder voice. "Please, if there's something there trying to help, it'll be wonderful if that help is clearer?"

Zahir ibn Musa watches, listens, gives you an absent nod.

Fadila Alheta stands swaying as the hissing begins. Then swaying she clamps a hand over her mouth to muffle the frightened whimper. Then taking it away from her mouth she flings a hand toward a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, "What spirit do you want?" She asks forcefully. "I pray you speak!"

Marwa Baz Taa'ha looks sharply up from the crate to the air above them. "Does anyone else hear that?" she asks. The dead husband part doesn't seem to draw much of a reaction.

Rostam Marzani looks around, nodding to Marwa Baz Taa'ha. "I do," he agrees.

"Mmhmm!" Mitsky is quick to answer Marwa Baz Taa'ha's question.

Fadila Alheta "Yes I yheard the hissing." "Its not you." She says to Marwa Baz Taa'ha eyes still on a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Attention fixed on the knots and crate, Zahir ibn Musa speaks, "It really just seemed like a puzzle to me...."

The ship calmly moves over glimmering waters on beneath you.

Indra Zaman exhales, looking ill at ease, but still - composed. "We have no leads on how to escape from these waters save the knots and the door. I don't think it doesn't merit caution, but...What else are we going to do?"

Fadila Alheta says, "We aso have no water and what food we have isn't much, and what is gotten at high cost to those who get it."

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Marwa Baz Taa'ha nods once at the various assents throughout the room. "G---. --st - ---k ---- ---- t-- ---t -f - --- w---w," she murmurs quietly, expression flat.

With a shrug, continuing to look around the space suspiciously, Firouzeh says to Indra Zaman, "Untie them instead."

Quietly, in an aside, Rostam Marzani says to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "I don't think you look particularly mad."

Sitra Tahan studies a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, her hands clasping behind her back, "We need to think on the matter, not do anything rash. Ah... the opium."

Zahra immediately glances to Jackal at Sitra Tahan's talk of opium.

Sitra Tahan gets out a long-stemmed wooden pipe from a black cotton drawstring pouch in her possession.

Indra Zaman exhales. "Not an unreasonable suggestion." He concedes to Firouzeh. "I'll defer to any mystically inclined. I doubt my own instincts are much use here."

Sitra Tahan fishes a long-stemmed wooden pipe from a black cotton drawstring pouch, looking it at a moment, "I can perform a ritual to go into a trance, it may provide some further answers. It may not."

Jackal slips an unreadable look aside onto Sitra Tahan, but only keeps his hands bundled in his cloak, trying to stave off the deathly chill from close contact with the Knots. "The two presences the Lion described in that Idir-person's vision," he mutters, speaking on an entirely separate subject instead. "I know what they are. I had felt them too."

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it drifts on peacefully.

Rostam Marzani slow-pivots toward Jackal.

"The healer..." Zahir ibn Musa begins, appearing to be addressing Indra Zaman, but he never completes his thought, looking instead to Jackal.

"Please do elaborate," Zahra invites to Jackal when he speaks on the presences.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha glances aside to Rostam Marzani and manages to flicker a phantom smile at his remark. Then she turns her eyes back to those speaking, eventually falling on Jackal.

The ship flows gently across tranquil waters on beneath you.

With the influx of attention, Jackal is quick to assure everyone, "Nothing we are not already aware of." But he's brought it up anyways because who knows? Maybe it's useful. He explains. "The smaller is the ghost. That one, I have been keenly aware of for weeks now. But however unpleasant it may be, the ghost is still natural. A part of the cycle of life and death. Just a man." Sliding a look toward the way out onto deck, Jackal continues quietly, "The larger presence... is the thing which hounds the ghost. Hounds us all. I first felt it when the beasts first attacked. Out in the Mist -- in the Sea. Something unnatural. Not of this world."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car shows up.

Zahra nods slowly in time to the cadence of Jackal's words, expression otherwise neutral though her eyes flash with a brief spark of curiosity over something that is said.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "Al-Kazid's veins. He saw them, before the man even died."

Indra Zaman inhales, sharply. "...What, a - demon, of the mists?" he asks, not as flippantly as he would have liked.

With a nod to Jackal, Sitra Tahan says, "Sayyid Idir spoke of a Leviathan, something so large it didn't even notice us. But also, another being thay escaped with it. Something smaller, meaner."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car slips something back into the folds of a beige lambswool bisht, whatever spooked him seeming to have passed, as he sits back on the edge of a narrow bunk with Yasin again.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car sits down on a narrow bunk.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car sits on the edge of a narrow bunk, guarding a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair. (Room Pose Set)

Inaya's gaze cuts to Sitra Tahan at her words, eyes narrowing.

(At the southern Port Cabin): Zahra ticks a quick look back toward the open cabin door behind her.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

Jackal can only bunch his shoulders and shake his head at Indra Zaman, lips pressed thin. He doesn't know what to call the larger presence, himself. But at this stage, he shares his own theory on the sequence of events. "I think... well. My best guess, for now, is that maybe the dead man was trying to flee, and the Knots and the door were his escape? But he died before he could complete and use them." Edging a glance toward said knots again, he finishes, "And because he is stuck here, we are stuck being pursued."

Rostam Marzani nods faintly as he listens, his eyes narrowed in thought.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it flows gently across tranquil waters.

Sitra Tahan looks to Jackal a moment before speaking, "I cannot say what his original aim was, but maybe this being noticed that he was making this key. It desired it, and followed him, and us, to try and release what is trapped here."

Zahra suddenly begins to speak from her place by the port cabin door, "Before the storm, before all of this, Owais heard upon the wind that the wind itself was afraid -- that something was coming that could hurt the wind. And that there was no escape." She looks to Jackal and wonders, "This... Leviathan? Perhaps the man who is now the bilge-ghost thought to devise a way to escape it? Or..." She dips a nod to Sitra Tahan. "Perhaps he started making the key and drew the attention of the presence, yes."

Finished throwing thoughts out into the room for others to make what they will of, Jackal frowns at the floor and falls silent then, reaching up to itch at one of the nasty sores on his face. A glance is flickered up onto Sitra Tahan as she describes an equally plausible hypothesis, and Jackal dips a nod to her.

Slowly, Rostam Marzani says, "Before all of this, as well, there were reports of strange animal behavior. Sharks, fleeing the Eye. I remember Sayyida Halima mentioned that."

Zahir ibn Musa frowns and hums.

Fadila Alheta mutters, "And there are not many fish in the sea as it is."

Indra Zaman hangs a hand from his hip, glancing out toward the port window. "...So, if the knots are the key to escape...Will it attempt to escape *with* us?"

Rostam Marzani nods once to Indra Zaman. "I think that is likely, yes."

Looking to a porthole window, Sitra Tahan says, "I don't think anything living is meant to be here. It fades away."

Shaking her head after a moment, Sitra Tahan says, "But it also isn't the afterlife, it is some place trapped forever in between."

Marwa Baz Taa'ha is unmoving and stony-faced, but listening.

Ziyad Farhat says to Indra Zaman, "Since we were warned to prevent the mist monsters from following and to leave the ghost behind to its fate, it suggests that anything can attempt to follow."

Jackal wrinkles the bridge of his hooked nose and confesses a touch viciously, "There is a part of me that wants to untie the knots because *fuck* that dead man, and *fuck* the demon too. But..." He looks toward the window when Sitra Tahan does, and simmers down to conclude more evenly, "... if they were his escape route? Then they are ours too."

Zahra suddenly glances to Sitra Tahan and wonders, "Did you wish to try to induce your trance now, Priestess?"

Zahir ibn Musa tells Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "Your husband, or... whatever it was, what all did he say?"

"What was it again? 'You can never break a curse without cost.'" Indra Zaman remarks, wryly .

Vaugely recalling, Firouzeh says, "Wasn't it mentioned that the door is only possibly an escape?... something about it also leading somewhere dark?"

Sitra Tahan looks back down to a long-stemmed wooden pipe, as if remembering she holds it, "Ah, I can, since we have the knots now."

Mitsky departs.

Jackal slices a sharp look onto Indra Zaman, though it instantly diffuses into a more mellow wryness. He looks between you and priestess next, rendering no comment.

Looking back up, Sitra Tahan says, "I'll just need to borrow some flint..."

Firouzeh gets out a pile of 3 flint flakes from a wicker basket in her possession.

"Only if you desire to," Zahra offers up to Sitra Tahan rather immediately. "I am not certain if you feel your ritual would be better served with or without an audience."

Marwa Baz Taa'ha looks to Zahir ibn Musa, seeming just a little startled. She sucks in a breath and says, "He said there is no door out of here, sayyid. No door out."

Zahra's gaze catches upon Jackal for just a moment, eyes hanging there, before she looks back to Sitra Tahan.

Firouzeh offers a pile of 3 flint flakes to Sitra Tahan with an extended arm, not able to get close enough to truly hand it to her with the gathered bodies.

Quietly, Ziyad Farhat says to Firouzeh, "Yes, we currently have no way to guarantee where the door will lead, if we can manage to open it. It could be salvation or a darker place. The ghost also mentioned that many doors exists out there, aside from the one we're trying to open."

Sitra Tahan says to you, "I would like someone, at least. I cannot say what results it may produce, things are... unpredictable here."

Quietly, but with gentle firmness, Rostam Marzani says to Marwa Baz Taa'ha, "There is not. Not for the dead. The ghost...says that he, too, is stuck here forever."

You send to Jackal: There seems to be something almost a little sharp about Zahra's gaze in that moment, as if she's trying to convey something.

Zahir ibn Musa hums, watching Marwa Baz Taa'ha. "Quite at odds with our other ghost, it would seem"

Sitra Tahan sits down near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Sitra Tahan puts a small sheet of paper in a black cotton drawstring pouch.

Zahra dips her head to Sitra Tahan, mentioning, "Of course, Priestess." Her attention remains upon the other woman now while she observes -- witnessing.

Jackal stands around by the crate, looking cold and tired and a little lost overall. (Room Pose Set)

Rostam Marzani looks over at Sitra Tahan and nods, saying "I can stay, Priestess."

Sitra Tahan gets out a flint flake from a black cotton drawstring pouch in her possession.

Sitra Tahan says, "Ah, seems I had one after all..."

Firouzeh shrugs, putting her flint back into a wicker basket.

Firouzeh puts a pile of 3 flint flakes in a wicker basket.

Looking about with the ghost of a smile, Sitra Tahan says, "... Any steel?"

Indra Zaman gets out a small utilitarian knife from a discreet leather satchel in his possession.

Rostam Marzani gets out a slender scalpel from an ivory-white muslin turban in his possession.

Zahra immediately cuts a glance toward Rostam Marzani.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha inclines her head slightly to Rostam Marzani, and then to Zahir ibn Musa, at their remarks.

Rostam Marzani offers a slender scalpel to Sitra Tahan, hilt-first.

Sitra Tahan accepts a slender scalpel from Rostam Marzani.

Using a flint flake and a slender scalpel, Sitra Tahan lights a long-stemmed wooden pipe.

Indra Zaman puts a small utilitarian knife in a discreet leather satchel.

Rostam Marzani sits down near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate, settling cross-legged on the ground.

Sitra Tahan fusses with a long-stemmed wooden pipe, soon getting it smoking before she closes her eyes. Lapsing into some silent thoughts, she brings the stem to her lips. (Consumption)

Suddenly, for a second, the air feels particularly cold.

Rostam Marzani shudders.

Zahra folds her slender arms over her chest, embracing a caramel-brown nainsook abaya closer against her form.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha shivers briefly, raising a hand to the back of her neck.

A dreamy calm soon washes over Sitra Tahan, and she moves rather slowly as she reaches into a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

A lean, red-haired young man rubs his hands together, accompanied with a slight shiver.

Sitra Tahan takes out a strange collection of knots from a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Ziyad Farhat lightly rubs his arms and keeps them crossed afterwards.

Jackal has pretzeled his arms up tight as though to restrain himself, watching all this go on with an unreadable look hanging on you for long seconds. Like all the others, he shivers.

Zahir ibn Musa watches Sitra Tahan, silent and still.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha steps well back from Sitra Tahan as she moves, making sure to stay clear as she watches.

Indra Zaman shivers.

Fadila Alheta shivers violently teeth chattering.

The waning crescent of Celeiri rises into the deep night sky.

Sitra Tahan shifts a strange collection of knots in her hands, watching it with an intent focus, as if it is the only matter of existence.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car leans forward from his perch on a narrow bunk, craning his neck to get a better view into the forecastle proper.

Indra Zaman eyes the knots with the air of someone finally laying eyes on celebrity, folding his arms as he watches over this ritual.

Not a single warning heralds the abrupt manifestation of the spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair.

The spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair bursts in with a tremendous crash from the deck, perhaps more tangible to those mystically inclined. He is soaked to the bone in frigid seawater, looking over his shoulder in terror. His ankle twists as he collapses to the floor, pulling himself on bloody fingertips into the forecastle. Gasping for what little air he can muster, he pats down his bloody clothing, loosing a drawstring pouch, and pulling out a strange collection of knots.

A subtle *whoosh* might be heard as the spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair de-materializes.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car draws a bronze-handled jambiya from a curved embroidered-leather sheath, laying it across his lap as he tenses.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car moves into a position to try to guard Yasin.

(At a towards the dingy west end of the forecastle): Inaya flinches, blinking and scowling abruptly.

Firouzeh recoils harshly, a look of terror crossing her face as she steps backward.

Jackal watches Sitra Tahan smoke with a scrunch on his brow. He makes not a peep while she performs her ritual -- the same one performed in opium dens all across the caliphate, it seems...

But all focus is broken in the next instant, and Jackal startles back from the door to the deck like it was just broken beneath a battering ram.

Zahra's gaze snaps from Sitra Tahan to that manifestation as she shifts her weight backward, sending her closer in toward the open door of the port cabin behind her. Eyes narrowing, she looks at that spot where the spectre de-materialized for long moments. Silent. Still.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car straightens to stand near a narrow bunk.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car goes to stand near the frame of the open squat cabin door.

Ziyad Farhat stiffens and immediately takes a single step forwards when the spectre briefly comes into sharp relief. He stares at the spot for a long moment, then in the direction that the spectre had glanced with such terror in his eyes.

Sitra Tahan seems to feel the ghost's arrival before she sees him, still holding a strange collection of knots in hand as she turns toward the apparition. Now that they both hold mirrors of the same object, she watches it intently.

A lean, red-haired young man a lean, red-haired young man's eyes widen as he shoots up to his feet and takes a few steps back. (Stand - within the general area -)

Rostam Marzani leans forward toward the apparition, frowning. His features are slightly pallid. His right hand clenches and unclenches as he stares.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car crosses the tiny cabin, standing just beside the doorframe now. A jambiya is crossed against his waist, at the ready, for what good the knife may do. His keen blue eyes are cold and hard as he watches the scene in the forecastle unfold.

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it moves across serene waves.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car stands just beside the doorframe, watching something in the forecastle. (Room Pose Set)

Not a single warning heralds the abrupt manifestation of the spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair.

The spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair brings his knees to his chest, muttering over the strange knots, as he unties a pair at the top, winding them around one another. His teeth chatter and his fingers fail to still themselves as he works - a tremendous crash from outside causing him to nearly drop his knots. "F--g-e me..." He mutters to himself, lacing the two fraying strands to create a braid. "N-- in th-s l-fe..." [in with light-toned and naturally ponderous tenor] he looks up, pulling the braid tight, as a sodden door rises from the floorboards with a creak. On hands and knees, he drags himself up to it.

With a flicker, the spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair disappears.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha lets out a strangled cry as the spectre crashes in, staggering back in surprise. She stares at the empty ground when it suddenly vanishes, and then looks up to the doorway as if looking for whatever gave him chase to burst forth.

Fadila Alheta stifles a scream as the spirit appears biting her lip keeping rigidly controlled and calm though white faced and deathly pale.

You notice something about Rostam Marzani: You recognize a restlessness in Rostam to draw his sword and *engage something* in the way he grips the air.

Out of Character: Fadila Alheta rolled composure and the result was a 32.

Indra Zaman continues to watch, carefully reaching and grasping at a wooden pendant around his neck...

Fadila Alheta straightens to stand near a splintery hole in the floor.

Ziyad Farhat reaches out to touch a twisting fulgurite pendant.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car peers towards the open squat cabin door.

In Sitra Tahan's grip, a long-stemmed wooden pipe goes out.

Rostam Marzani struggles to rise.

Rostam Marzani shifts to kneel near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Rostam Marzani visibly struggles to remain conscious.

Rostam Marzani winces as he comes up on one knee.

Jackal leans heavily against the crate beside him, but now is leaning *toward* the apparition, his stare rapt and bright with focus.

Sitra Tahan raises her hazy gaze, looking from the ghost above and around herself as if searching.

Zahir ibn Musa watches, surprised certainly, but he doesn't startle, much.

Zahra watches on, a little wide-eyed as she does, vague surprise written upon her features. In further silence, she reaches behind her toward that open door at her back and rests her fingers against the doorframe.

Suddenly the spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair is there.

The spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair hunches over the door, cursing under his breath as he ties the knots into the holes where a handle or doorknob once may have rested. Working to tie them together, pulling down a knot at the bottom to form a twin hanging braid, he looks towards the deck as Sitra Tahan's pipe begins to dim - and a spectral torrent of water swells into the room, causing him, and the vision, to vanish.

A subtle *whoosh* might be heard as the spectre of a rat-chewed matted man with blasted, windswept hair de-materializes.

The ship floats smoothly upon calm waves on beneath you.

In a soft murmur, Ziyad Farhat says, "A key of keys..."

A soft, hapless 'oh' falls out of Jackal's mouth as he stares ahead. And then he grips the crate like he expects to otherwise be washed away... until he isn't.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Dubiously, Zahir ibn Musa speaks, "- door p-ll?"

Sitra Tahan departs.

Sitra Tahan arrives.

(Hidden) A lilting countertenor whispers from the southern Port Cabin, "--'s ----."

Ziyad Farhat scans towards the open squat cabin door.

Indra Zaman doesn't really know what to do as the unreal water floods in besides brace himself and prepare for the worst - which doesn't happen. He grimaces, looking around himself and letting out a harsh sigh. "What infuriates me about this is how - used to these damned visions I'm starting to get..."

Jackal peers towards the open squat cabin door.

(Hidden) Zahra just nods a little at something or another. Probably that voice stirring behind her.

Firouzeh peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Rostam Marzani swallows, looking at the strings in Sitra Tahan's hands, then turns and glances southward, eyes narrowing further.

Zahir ibn Musa peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Rostam Marzani peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Indra Zaman peers towards the open squat cabin door.

Sitra Tahan hazily watches the ghost, though when the scene is washed away, her faraway gaze slips back to a strange collection of knots held in her hands, the item turned slowly.

Ziyad Farhat glances down at himself and plucks at a tidy purple calico thawb, as if surprised that he isn't wet. "We've been stuck here in this misty place for so long that nothing fully surprises me any longer," he agrees with Indra Zaman. "But that was concerning in many ways. Did you see the terror on the ghost's face?"

Softly, in irritation, Rostam Marzani says, "And I still didn't quite see the knot he was trying to tie in the bottom."

Jackal drags a thick swallow down his throat and turns back toward Sitra Tahan, likewise eying the knots closely.

Zahra seems distracted, gaze distant. But she eventually lifts her attention to look toward Jackal across the way.

"A...double braid, wasn't it?" Indra Zaman murmurs.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha looks ashen-faced, but turns to Sitra Tahan as she comes to. "Priestess..." She presses her lips together, then flits her eyes down to the very real knots in question.

Rostam Marzani shrugs helplessly toward Indra Zaman, then turns his attention to Sitra Tahan and Jackal, frowning. He looks to Marwa Baz Taa'ha next, as she speaks.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car sheathes a bronze-handled jambiya in a curved embroidered-leather sheath, slipping it away again.

Fadila Alheta squeaks, "Yes it was." Before she totters off down, or tries to make it down to the galley but instead collapses quietly instead after her wide eyes and grey face look around.

Fadila Alheta wavers, and then her eyes roll up in her head as she goes limp.

Fadila Alheta crumples in a dead faint.

(At the southern Port Cabin): Zahra breathes out another slow, slooooow sigh through her nose when Fadila Alheta faints.
You're not sure whether anyone notices you.

A lean, red-haired young man glances over at Fadila Alheta impassively, while scratching at his cheek.

Inaya goes to move near a splintery hole in the floor, joining Fadila Alheta.

Sitra Tahan "Twin braids, like a handle,"$me finally speaks, her voice ploddingly slow in her opium-induced fog. It's only when Fadila Alheta collapses that she drags her eyes ever so slowly to regard her with detached bemusement.

Rostam Marzani looks over at Inaya and Fadila Alheta, nods to himself, then looks back at the knots.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At the northward direction): Yeshev al-Car slowly runs one hand up the portside cabin doorframe, brushing against anything there, before it returns to his side.

Inaya moves for Fadila Alheta, for the first time in a while, just stepping over on bare feet and crouching down with a deep frown.

Firouzeh is brought out of her obvious shock to catch the end of Fadila Alheta's fall. Wordlessly, she makes her way over to her, trailing after Inaya. (Stand - near a splintery hole in the floor -)

(Hidden) Zahra's lips twitch into a faint smile at something or another for a moment before her features return to their usual serene neutrality.

Rostam Marzani says, "A handle. For a door. Do you think you could tie it, Priestess? Convict? Zahir, do you think you can recognize the pattern enough to help?"

Seeming to address a strange collection of knots now as she turns her stare back on them, Sitra Tahan says, "How do we choose the right path at the crossroads?"

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Firouzeh gives a glance up toward Rostam Marzani fleetingly, shaking her head a bit but deciding to turn her attention back to Fadila Alheta. To her, she presses the back of a wrinkled hand to her forehead, appraising the cooks condition.

Zahir ibn Musa looks to Fadila Alheta with concern when she collapses, but at Rostam Marzani's question he looks back with a short and hollow laugh. "It's a *door pull*," he says, incredulous, with a shake of his head. "I doubt you need magic for that."

Firouzeh takes stock of Fadila Alheta.

Fadila Alheta twitches for a second.

Fadila Alheta stirs slightly.

Fadila Alheta wakes up, lying near a splintery hole in the floor.

Jackal grimaces as another casualty of ghostly shenanigans falls, watching Inaya and Firouzeh go to Fadila Alheta's side. Passing a thin hand over his face, Jackal shakes his head a little to Rostam Marzani, unsure. But it's Sitra Tahan's question that's on his mind too, and his eyes return to the knots. "I saw no... symbols on the door, or..." He trails off.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): With a trace of bitterness or distaste, Zahir ibn Musa speaks, "Knot m-gic."

Fadila Alheta lifts a hand to her head, blushing with embarrassment, "Oh not again."

Inaya places a hand to Fadila Alheta's shoulder. "Quiet, easy. Stay still," [in Salawi] she says, quiet and hoarse. (Crouch - near a splintery hole in the floor -)

Shrugging toward Zahir ibn Musa blankly, Rostam Marzani says, "I didn't recognize the pattern, so...you're doing better than I am."

Firouzeh pulls back some as Fadila Alheta comes to, giving a warm smile down to her. "It's alright, dear," the elder offers.

Fadila Alheta nods to Inaya and Firouzeh lying quietly on the ground for now.

(At a splintery hole in the floor): "You okay? Hit your head?" Inaya asks Fadila Alheta, leaving her hand where it is for the moment as she looks her over.

"I suppose one needs a magical door pull for a magical door," Zahra comments over to Zahir ibn Musa, finally speaking up for the first time in a while. Her voice lightly cracks from disuse; she clears her throat.

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Rostam Marzani mutters, "M-k-s -s m-ch s-ns- -s -n-thing -ls-."

Zahir ibn Musa tells Rostam Marzani, "The pattern?"

Marwa Baz Taa'ha says quietly, "It seemed as if he had needed to create knots to even summon the door where no door exists," to Zahir ibn Musa after you speaks. "Unless it was merely a coincidence."

Fadila Alheta assesses herself quietly then nods to Inaya, "I don't think so." "I was trying to go down, down to the galley, to sleep." "Since they are talking of knots, but that, ghostly being." "It was, quite frigid, and frightened me." "I believe I will stay here for the present."

Zahra suddenly seems to remember something and she abruptly cuts a look toward Zahir ibn Musa, "What was all this business about infinity knots then?"

Firouzeh peers through a porthole window.

Indra Zaman exhales, harshly. "The closest I'd gotten to seeing the door was down in the bilge, but I suppose that could have just been another hallucation from the deadman..."

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At the northward direction): After a long vigil by the doorframe, some of the tension eases in Yeshev al-Car's shoulders, and he makes his way back to perch on the side of a narrow bunk again.

Zahir ibn Musa waves a hand, irritable and dismissive, but his brow furrows and he lets it drop. "Owais?" he asks you.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car goes to sit on a narrow bunk, joining Yasin.

Curiously, Rostam Marzani says, "Infinity knots?"

(At a bilge-sodden oakwood crate): Sitra Tahan gives a strange collection of knots a little shake, not seeming to find the needed answer to her question within them.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: (At a narrow bunk): Yeshev al-Car murmurs down, fondly, to Yasin, "Th--'r- m-k-ng pr-gr-ss, --s-n. Th--'r-...g-tt-ng s-m-wh-r-."

"Of course," Zahra mentions to Zahir ibn Musa. "But this was a meeting for sharing information. Were you not working with the Healer to complete the knots before they disappeared?"

(At a splintery hole in the floor): Inaya nods to Fadila Alheta quietly, and just shifts herself to sit down on the floor next to her instead now, removing her hand from the woman's shoulder and instead reaching to brush a knuckle to her chin instead with a quiet smirk. "Sl--p, sis. I'll w-tch for s-li."

Ziyad Farhat gestures at the tangle of knots in Sitra Tahan's hands after watching Firouzeh tend Fadila Alheta. "We have some basic idea what's needed now at the least. Two knots at the top undone and braided. And a drawing a knot at the bottom downwards to create a twin hanging braid." After pursing his lips, he suggests, "Taking more time inspecting those knots may help further. And we can attempt to use... non-magical rope to try to practice replicating some of the work before attempting it for real."

"The door is waiting down in the bilge," Jackal quietly confirms, confident on the point. But talk of infinity knots makes him look up from the very-finite ones and look between you and Zahir ibn Musa.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car perches on the edge of a narrow bunk, guarding a burly, sienna-hued young man with short walnut-brown hair. (Room Pose Set)

From the interior of the ship, you can sense that it floats peacefully onward.

Rostam Marzani looks sharply to Ziyad Farhat and snaps. "That's a very good idea. Replicating the knots on...regular rope."

Zahir ibn Musa rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "I handled them once, and saw... very little," he protests.

Sitra Tahan tries to rise to her feet all of a sudden, looking pale as she hurries off. (Stand - near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate -)

Sitra Tahan walks towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Fadila Alheta apologizes with a sniffle to those gathered before she nods to Inaya "#salawi I believe I will sleep now." "I don't think I could make it down there."

(At a splintery hole in the floor): "Sl--p s--ms - good id--," Firouzeh agrees with Fadila Alheta, giving a warm smile to Inaya as she tends. A yawn overtakes the elder, apparently exhausted more than spurred to action by today's events. Without any fanfare or parting words, she moves towards the squat cabin door.

Fadila Alheta apologizes with a sniffle to those gathered before she nods to Inaya "I usinde I will sleep now." [in Salawi] "I don't think I could make it down there."

Jackal blinks and straightens up from his lean on the crate, narrowing eyes chasing along after Sitra Tahan beneath a harsh frown.

Ziyad Farhat says to Rostam Marzani, "It will lend us greater familiarity to how the whole thing is constructed and the parts that need to be continued."

Firouzeh goes to stand near the closed squat cabin door.

"... so you don't think your theory to complete the knots was sound, then?" Zahra simply wonders of Zahir ibn Musa -- curious rather than accusatory. "Or was that not your theory?"

Fadila Alheta fals into a deep sleep.

Fadila Alheta goes to sleep near a splintery hole in the floor.

Inaya struggles to rise.

Inaya shifts to sit near a splintery hole in the floor.

Inaya visibly struggles to remain conscious.

Inaya sits next to a soft-featured, dark-skinned young woman on the floor near a splintery hole in the floor. (Room Pose Set)

Zahir ibn Musa draws a slow breath, turning to face you more fully. "I don't know," he admits.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "At the time, it seemed promising. Now?"

Firouzeh starts to open door, but turns back to the gathered as she remembers something. "Will we vote, then? On what to do with the knots?"

Zahir ibn Musa (shakes his head) I'm not so sure.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car straightens to stand near a narrow bunk.

Zahra looks at Zahir ibn Musa and asks point-blank, "So you are not going to even share your theory? At the meeting for sharing information with the rest of the class? In which everyone else has already shared their information?"

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car begins to watch the general direction of westward.

A lean, red-haired young man can't help but chuckle to himself at your inquiry.

At a short distance through the open squat cabin door, you see: Yeshev al-Car walks away through the squat cabin door, emerging, if only barely, from the portside cabin, his gaze tracking something deeper in the forecastle.

Yeshev al-Car walks through the squat cabin door, emerging, if only barely, from the portside cabin, his gaze tracking something deeper in the forecastle.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "What I saw... was different. No ghosts, no visions, no... threads of connection to the Otherworld. Hardly mystical at all."

Yeshev al-Car goes to stand near the frame of the open squat cabin door, joining you.

Zahra gestures toward Zahir ibn Musa, as though directing him to continue.

The ship tranquilly glides on on beneath you.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "What I saw, or felt... was... more like math, or music. Numbers... I don't know."

Rostam Marzani looks between Zahir ibn Musa and you, blinking a few times. Softly, to Ziyad Farhat, he says, "I'll see about saving a bit of string for us to work on."

Ziyad Farhat turns his curious gaze upon Zahir ibn Musa and you. "Sayyid Owais mentioned infinity knots to me too. If there's any sign that there the patterns of the knows follow an equation, there's no harm in sharing it. We know that not all theories are bound to be true... but some -could- be true."

Inaya's attention shifts, now, to Zahir ibn Musa, watching him intently from her place on the floor.

"Indeed," Zahra agrees with Ziyad Farhat, though her sharp aurelian eyes are still riveted upon Zahir ibn Musa. "It seems... rather counterproductive to not share *all* theories." A beat. "Can you explain what you saw further, Sayyid ibn Musa? Or was that it?"

Yeshev al-Car stands in the port cabin doorway, watching something impassively. (Room Pose Set)

Zahir ibn Musa trails off and shakes his head. "It eludes me, it... vanished before..."

Zahir ibn Musa falls silent and shrugs.

Indra Zaman folds his arms, glancing to the side with a disquieted expression a moment.

Zahra suddenly blinks her way out of her tunnel vision fixation on Zahir ibn Musa as she wonders of Yeshev al-Car in an aside, "The Priestess ran off with the knots, didn't she."

Rostam Marzani smiles, his features open and friendly. "Try drawing it on the floor? Or.. humming it?"

Rostam Marzani peers towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Blankly, Rostam Marzani says, "Shit."

Jackal ejects a huff through his nose, giving Zahir ibn Musa a hard look, and then stalks off westward. "She is sick from the opium," he mutters aside to you as he passes her.

(At the southern Port Cabin): Yeshev al-Car murmurs back to you, his gaze not leaving the west end of the forecastle, "The same way Yasin looked before he fainted."

Jackal walks towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Ziyad Farhat scans towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Rostam Marzani struggles to rise.

Rostam Marzani straightens to stand near a bilge-sodden oakwood crate.

Rostam Marzani visibly struggles to remain conscious.

You peer towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle...
[The Greenest Dolphin, Deep in the Forecastle]
You are on [a timeworn naval freighter].
Either the planks of the ship's interior have swollen or the floor slants up and the roof downwards, because the dingy back end of the forecastle feels even more cramped and dim than the front. There are no porthole windows to provide welcome light, and an accumulation of freshly-nailed boards make up the back wall, intersecting at jagged edges as if used to badly patch up some seafaring accident. Twin doorways open on both port and starboard sides, leading to more cabins.
A page torn from a book is affixed to the wall here, big lettering announcing something about an upcoming meeting. A round-headed mallet of polished oak is left here.
Hektor is standing here, holding a heavy ship's mop in his right hand. Sitra Tahan is kneeling here, holding an assortment of small items in her right hand. Jackal is here.
Cardinal Exits: towards the eastern interior, north, and south

Rostam Marzani walks towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Marwa Baz Taa'ha peers towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

You shift closer to Yeshev al-Car.

There's a subtle sense of tension as you move close.

Zahir ibn Musa says, "I don't know, I think it's something that you feel. Maybe a piece of string?"

(At the southern Port Cabin): Yeshev al-Car gestures west, as if to clarify he was indicating a direction and not a physical state of being.

Firouzeh pinches the bridge of her nose between two fingers, shaking her head and departing.

Firouzeh peers through a porthole window.

(Hidden) "Thank you, for taking care of him," Zahra murmurs down to Yeshev al-Car in a further aside.

Firouzeh opens the squat cabin door.

Firouzeh walks away through the squat cabin door.

The squat cabin door closes.

(Hidden) Yeshev al-Car presses his lips together in a tight line, answering you with a single nod.

Nodding thoughtfully, Ziyad Farhat says to Zahir ibn Musa, "Curious... curious... So much happened today, and it's cluttering my mind. But I'll see whether I can borrow the knots briefly in an opportune time and detect what you described."

Ziyad Farhat scans towards towards the dingy west end of the forecastle.

Zahra suddenly lifts her gaze toward a lean, red-haired young man, seeming to see him for the first time. "I do not know you," she observes with a faint, tired sort of smile. "Do forgive my poor manners. Zahra al-Dhahab." She gestures to herself with that introduction.

Zahra nods to Ziyad Farhat, mentioning, "Thank you, Sayyid Farhat. It would help to have more scholarly minds take a look, to see if there are other angles to which we could approach this problem."

Zahir ibn Musa nods in agreement with you. "Perhaps." He looks over toward the door to the deck. "I thought... that drawing..." He murmurs.

A lean, red-haired young man shrinks beneath the sudden gaze and briefly glances town to the floor before telling you, "I-- ahh... Vahi," He rubs at the back of his head, looking rather sheepish. "I've nothing to contribute to this meeting, but... I woke up and everyone was already gathered, so it felt off to move." [in Sirdabi with a lazy tenor]

(Hidden) His attention still locked deeper in the forecastle, Yeshev al-Car whispers to you, "I don't know if she's just throwing up from the poppy. This happens to Fleas, when he...talks to it."

Ziyad Farhat glances deeper into the forecastle again and knuckles at his eyes. "I think I need to rest and digest what we've learned so far. I don't want to impose upon the Priestess while she's indisposed, so I'll ask her when she's feeling more herself again."

Zahra's attention returns to Vahi when she gives to him a slightly warmer smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sayyid Vahi. I apologize we have not met before..." She trails off there and mentions to the group at large, "I think we can officially consider this meeting concluded. Thank you, all, for coming and sharing your information. It was helpful."