[IRP] Return to the Dread Isle

[Alusq]

Renata stewed in the middle of the group, trying her best to concentrate on Wratt's explanation. The voyage had been nothing like she'd expected; it had actually been mostly devoid of rain, which was pleasant at first, but as soon as Badon had faded from the horizon the friendly sun and zesty sea air became hostile without warning. She'd expected a ship this large to be as stable as the earth itself, but instead the experience so far had been more like being trapped in a demon-possessed barn. Although everything Renata had assumed about the sea turning out to be wrong allowed her to forsake her cloak without suspicion, it was hardly worth the cost of falling to the floor and retching whenever she tried to walk. She'd had to concentrate so much on simply holding herself together that she hadn't even gotten a chance to mingle with her would-be comrades— without knowing any of their origins, there was a chance she would have to explain the make of her armour once the time came to put it back on and disembark.

"I volunteer for the scouting party," Renata interjected as soon as Wratt left an opening. "If no one lives on this island, we'll have to forge a path through the wilderness." She attempted to rise resolutely from the crate she'd made a seat of, but the relentless swaying of the ship had other ideas, so she aborted the motion, pretending that she had only meant to sit up tall. It wasn't like she would be convincing anyone that her sudden zeal was for any other reason than to leave the confines of the ship as soon as possible.