Tarbu Confederacy / Ku-Wahi'Kahu

[Pixel]

The lead galley crashed into the stormy waves. Two decks - 200 rowers - of slaves groaned in unison as their combined human-power pushed the wooden vessel forward. The other two galleys followed suit, mimicking the movements of the other.

Grand Captain Vuaen perched at the rim of the forecastle as the ship rocked him back and forth and side-to-side. It'd be nauseating if it weren't for his Tarbu heritage, but even so, it brought slight discomfort to see the horizon constantly shifting with the waves. Vuaen himself was pioneering a new frontier in that very heritage he took such pride in - and he relished in it. Though he kept up his stoic persona in front of the crew - hardly speaking at all and in few words when forced - he knew that he would be a man of many 'firsts'. That is, the first Grand Captain since the Second Sundering, leading the first trade expedition, to establish the first - ever - contact between Tarbu and merfolk. Truth be told, it's an encounter that's many years overdue. Long had stories of such people come to Tarbu, and long had his people admired the legends. The merfolk were perhaps the only ones that surpassed the Tarbu in their mastery of the sea, after all.

He turned his gaze towards the coastline. He knew that eventually, by piloting the expedition along the coast, they would find it. The place that was, at least purported to be, the home to a species of merfolk. He could hardly wait.

[Zurajai]

Tuah Tama'Ranga o'te'Ku-Pama remained stationary, kept aloft on his toes and the front of his webbed feet as the outrigger canoe rocked with the waves ever so gently. All around him and indeed on a great number of other outriggers surrounding his were Parauri'He'e; armored in heavy shell and coral armor with black-pearl glaives, tridents, and bardiches, the warrior elite of the Ku'Ano waited patiently.

"o'te'Ku-Pama," called a spotter, shouting out to him in his watery tongue, "Sails."

Tuah stood from his spot to confirm the sighting himself, spotting the tails popping up on the horizon. A day ago a fisherman had reported that a modestly sized sail-and-oar vessel had been spotted by him and his fellows upon returning from a successful trip. Tuah had been ordered by the Grey Masters to wait patiently for the ship, having been told by Mawar that they should not expect conflict. This was a new world and the enemies of the Ku'Ano were far more subtle.

With the sails now in sight the small host of outriggers prepared, crew jumping to oars to paddle towards the ship as Tuah himself took up position on the prow of his, the largest of the flotilla. On the fore of his vessel he held out his arms and shouted into the oncoming winds as the galley came within hearing distance.

"I am Tuah Tama'Ranga o'te'Ku-Pama and you are far from home! By the grace and benevolence of Mawar you float a top the sea rather than sink below so do him favor and speak your purpose!"

[Pixel]

"Captain!" A sailor called from the opposite side of the galley. "Something approaches us!"
Vuaen made his way to the other side, scrambling through numerous deck workers who did the same. He leaned over the edge of the ship to see strangely humanoid figures in a fleet of canoes that seemed to surround the galleys.
One of the figures stood up and stretched out his arms to emphasize his shout. "I am Tuah Tama'Ranga o'te'Ku-Pama and you are far from home! By the grace and benevolence of Mawar you float a top the sea rather than sink below so do him favor and speak your purpose!"
This was not exactly how Vuaen had envisioned meeting the merfolk, but any encounter was good. It could always be worse, after all. Still, the cruising speed of a Tarbu galley might make any long-winded conversation difficult.
"Well met, merfolk. I am Grand Captain Vuaen Jibobn. It was given upon me and this expedition to seek out nearby civilizations for trade. Friend, is there a way we can discuss this matter in a more official capacity?"

[Zurajai]

"Your ship has a berth waiting for it, as the Grey Masters predicted," called out Tuah as he eyed the humans aboard their vessel with a level of distrust. It was certainly possible, at least in his eyes, that even if this was not some clever ruse by Te'Waka o'te'Rapa it could certainly be men with ill intent.

"My flotilla will lead the way; if you seek words with the Hina'Rangi o'te'Wahi'Kahu than all you need to is follow. If not, than turn around and return to your home. They expect your answer to be given personally."

With that the flotilla turned and returned in the direction from whence they had come; already the islands of the Ku'Ano appearing over the horizon. Jutting forth from the well sheltered bay were the spires of Kahu-ali'Haku, the Stygian Edifice, and with it the audience the Tarbu shipmaster sought. If offer was accepted and the Tarbu galleon moored itself in the harbor a party of outrigger canoes would be waiting for them to bring them to the halls of the Hina'Rangi, the Grey Masters, through the winding waterways of the city of Mawar.

[Pixel]

"You heard the man!" Vuaen called to the crew. "Err, merfolk. Follow them!"
The crew scattered about, working to steer the galley towards the canoes, who turned slightly away. Turning a galley took great coordination with the slaves below, but within a minute, the convoy was moving in the right direction.
Before too long they could see the approach of land on the horizon, and as they got nearer, the distinct marine appearance of a merfolk settlement.
While a fascinating sight, the expedition had little time to gawk as they coordinated the galleys to bring the ships to moor in harbor.

The merfolk took Vuaen and a dozen of his escorts into their canoes and took them through the watery channels of the city until they arrived at a grand hall of what the merfolk called "Grey Masters".
They took him inside, and from there, Vuaen awaited his audience.
After some time, they took Vuaen's group aside to stand before the Grey Masters.
As was customary, at least in Tarbu tradition, Vuaen bowed low, and was first to speak. As nervous as he was, paying this respect would be crucial. Perhaps it was not their tradition - but they would surely understand that he meant no insult.
"I, Vuaen Jibobn, come to you representing the Tarbu Confederacy, some distance to the southwest. It is given upon me by my masters to establish contact with nearby civilizations to express our desire to trade. You are the first of such potential clients, as far as I know. We have much to offer," He snapped his fingers, and his escorts unfurled rolls of gold wares and sculptures as well as decorative coral.
After a pause, Vuaen continued. "We seek also a cultural exchange, for we Tarbus have long heard stories of your people in the now distant past, and you are legends to us. We greatly admire a people who live by the sea as we do."

[Zurajai]

The party of Tarbu humans were brought before the Grey Masters with little fanfare; the Hina'Rangi o'te'Wahi'Kahu were not ones for show. The chamber itself was dark, lit only by light streaming in from several carved spaces in the ceiling. On the back wall of the chamber resided a large basalt platform where a triumverate of Grey Masters waited patiently.

"Ki'te'Raro kime'oe, Vauen Jibobn," uttered the wight in the middle, rising as he did, "I am Hohepa Tama'Tane o'te'Nawe-Mata Wairua o'Mawar Hina'Rangi o'te'Wahi'Kahu. I would recite my full name yet you are here for business and not pleasantries."

The other two Grey Masters stood, nodding in unison before sitting. Each of the Grey Masters were wights of Mawar, evident simply by their appearance, as smoking clouds obscured their visages from view and wisps of the ebony pall billowed from them as a dark mantle. Where their smoking hands touched the stone before them it could be seen to grow cold, whitening with the slightest appearance of frost as they stared down the foreigners.

"Trade is a valued commodity," continued Hohepa, his voice echoing around them as if he spoke from everywhere at once, his mere presence giving the sense of the weight of the waves starting to bare down on all who were near, "And one the Great Mawar seeks for us."

"In less than a years time we expect to add onto our harbor so that ships like yours may reach this place and find shelter here. I believe it would be beneficial for both of us to see to it that your ships will be found there. Trade will strengthen both our people. Yet you must know of the ripples already made; to the south, along the coast, reside a people known to us. As we speak our emissary shares words with them; a great possibility presents itself as we three share place in the world. Perhaps, then, we see our mana wax together rather than wane alone."

[Pixel]

Vuaen shot a glance towards each of his escorts, as though they could inspire him in their silence. They each knelt before the presented trade goods, their heads bowed. It was not their place to speak.

He brought his gaze back to meet Hohepa. "If there is indeed such a kingdom to the south, we too will soon know of it. Our Warmaster, Hanthorn, has dispatched an expedition similar to my own in that direction. I am not at authority to seek an alliance, if that is what you aim to imply by this talk of 'mana', for my charter only permits me to establish a trade route. However, it is my assumption that my master Hanthorn would be more than willing to consider such a relationship between our peoples, though we know nothing of this third party. Yet."

[Zurajai]

"Then let it be decided here; our ports will be open to your people and your ships and your merchants freedom within the Stygian Edifice. In trade deals regarding specific goods between our two governments there shall be the right to discuss in details those dealings. Is this acceptable?"

[Pixel]

"On behalf of the Tarbu Confederacy, I find this arrangement agreeable. You have our utmost gratitude for your valuable time, Grey Masters. Unless there is something else, we shall take our leave."

[Zurajai]

"Leave freely, Vuaen o'te'Tarbu and return just the same. The Stygian Edifice is open to you and your people."

[Sponsored content]