Thread: [CLOSED] Pulp Inc. Presents: Thrilling Tales of the New Continent! [Deante & Lasciel]

Placating perhaps, but Siona had no intention of cheating the spirit. It was possible to deal with an entity respectfully even if one didn't revere it as a god. In response to Lerron's dismissive sound, she very deliberately stepped on his foot to hush him, but the damage had already been done. Omani seemed skeptical, but thankfully, proved ready to prove the foreigners wrong rather than to punish them for their insolence. In some vague hope of salvaging their mess, Siona held her tongue and merely nodded as the woman began her demonstration. She watched carefully for signs of spell craft... but saw nothing, besides the obvious transformation of the water into river-mud and then into dust. It was a worrying outcome, and immediately made her wonder what the cat had meant when she said the river could grow angry. Beyond the bits involving tribute and worship, the rules imposed by Kanjalli sounded sensible enough. Likely, Siona suspected, anything that would foul the water would be similarly punished, even if Omani's people hadn't yet developed to a level of industry to make such rules relevant. She wondered then how far inland the river continued, and whether this was merely one branch of a greater waterway that would have to be watched out for later. Siona's skills in cartography were... Rudimentary, at best, and she lacked supplies besides, but she still wished for a more permanent way to transcribe even the crude map. Instead, she did her best to commit it to memory, assuming it was likely not to scale. When the explanation suddenly paused, Siona realized she was on-the-spot to explain how her homeland sought to... colonize?, Omani's home. Of course, they would bring advanced technology and magic, medicine and industry and all sorts of wonders, all in exchange for swearing fealty to the Empress. But when she had signed on, Siona had been assured the land was utterly uninhabited. Now... I come as an explorer from the continent to the north of this one. I study plants and animals, what kinds there are and where they live. She paused, and debated how much more to explain. Finally, she settled on a few more words. I am part of a third wave of explorers. Our goal is to build settlements here, ultimately. It seemed a suitable mix of benign and truthful , and seemed to mollify Omani. They probably didn't know any better, after our people's first ship disappeared, the second came with warriors rather than scholars. Short of a posted sign warning them of Kang-- Kanj-- Kanjalli, Siona's second attempt at pronunciation was a hair more successful, they wouldn't even think to stop and look. The rivers we have back home are a bit more... Docile. Siona explained, with an embarrassed shrug. Her gaze then turned towards the sky, more than a little worry. Her nose twitched, a sign of her nerves, before she posed her next questions. Do you know if... Anything dangerous stalks the beach at night? I would like to make it to my people this evening, but knowing nothing of the local fauna I'm more than a bit afraid of being, well, eaten. Siona admitted, while she fished through her pockets. She retrieved two silver coins, and hesitantly held them up for Omani to inspect. Is there a ceremony to this, or, do I just... Toss them in? Siona held back from adding her mental commentary that it was like a 'wishing well'. As the cat pondered her replies, she turned and summarized the highlights of the conversation for Lerron.