Water Mage's HQ [L,PG-13]

This island is at the center of all water territory, it has no name an has only one chunk of land on it surrounded by tough seas.
There are five bridges connecting this island.
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Time period: Victorian (All weapons of future periods do not work on this island)

Plot: Those wanting business with the Water Mage and the many pirate crews that work for her come here. It is also a very nice vacation spot... for those not afraid of being kidnapped by pirates.

No limit on how many characters can be present.

Boots thumped on the board walk on the beach. Ships were sailing in from many places about the territory and one woman watched them come in with calculating eyes. She could feel the water bridges between many of the islands holding strong. It took most of her magic to hold things together like that, but it was worth it. Her territory was properly connected and strong because of it.

Red hair blew gently behind her as wind picked up. Those boots led the way as she walked down towards one ship that was docking, her hips rolling. There were to be a few important people on this ship, a few she may want to add to her personal crew, some that she may give a ship to, others who came to spend their money on her expensive resort. This called for a personal greeting.

The taste of salt water was something that one could not simply ignore, especially when one had lived upon that taste their entire lifetime. A lifetime was rather short, but in that brief time many things had happened, and many things were promised in the future. For this particular lovely lady with hair like a flame and skin like a ghostly rag doll, her lifetime was skewed with a blurred fog, the smell of salt, the taste of the ocean, and the felting of fabric. This particularly woman was Sapphire Crestomanci, but if you ever asked her name from a stranger, they would tell you she was a Mad Hatter. Skilled in her crafts, but off her rocker for sure. One of the things that provoked this name, was the small rat that was always found either on the brim of her hat, on her shoulder, or near her feet. She loved that rat, and doting named it Mister.

Currently, Mister was soaking up sun rays on the brim of her wide hat, while Sapphire herself sat precariously placed on the starboard bow of the ship, threatening to nearly fall off should anything disturb her. Between her hands was a gorgeous olive green fabric, with splashes of sea green in what seemed to be a bodice, and the what also seemed to be the underskirts. It was quite the dress, and one could easily tell it had been sewn with careful precision as it sparkled brilliantly in the sun's rays. Sapphire held the fabric tightly, making sure neither water nor floor touched it as a small needled darted in and out of the fabric as if dancing. It was the last little bit of stitch work to be done, and perhaps the most extraordinary thing was the fact that she was not touching the needle but it was quite clearly under her control.

The needle darted out against and the thread broke, tying itself in a knot before nearly vanishing into the cloth and the needle flew into Sapphire's quickly outstretched hand. "It's done..." came a soft voice. A voice soft and motherly, and quite out of place for Sapphire's appearance. The boat creaked loudly, and Sapphire slipped down from her perch onto the deck and neatly folded the dress to keep tightly pressed to her chest. She was looking for a crew of some sort. She'd gotten passage for free with her skills and some less than wholesome activities, but she wanted a crew. She wanted her own little family on a boat to travel and work with. Here was supposed to be the best place to find it. She had been told that an orange-haired woman was looking for crewmen. Sapphire was fond of people with orange hair like herself, so this orange-haired woman whom was important she would find and ask for a position on her ship.

As crewman crowded the desk to flee for the saftey of land and the promise of woman and ale, there was a moment where Sapphire caught a glimpse of the promised orange-haired woman. She had no idea if this woman would like the dress she had been working on, but Sapphire was sure she could get it to fit her. She shoved her way to the front of the crowd, her metallic eyes suddenly locking onto the other woman's. There was a murmur behind her, but Sapphire took no heed.

"I heard there was work on ships here... I'm a tailor, I can cook, and I can navigate. I can fight too. I don't suppose you need any of those?" she questioned, thrusting forward the dress. "And this is for you."

Today, the woman's eyes were more on the green side than blue, it happened when she was on land for too long. Those eyes broke contact with the new arrival quickly. Only a few knew she was the Mage of this area and even fewer knew what happened when one locked eyes with a Mage for more than a second. Kaisea looked down at the dress, taking it before saying a word to the woman. Those who were lucky, or unlucky, enough to know this Captain for a while saw through her harsh exterior to see a harsher one. A polite smile painted the woman's lips as she studied the stitching. It was strong and even.

"If you can cook as well as you can sew, you would make a fine member of the crew. A navigator isn't needed. I know the seas in this territory better than anyone else alive." Her voice was as polite as her smile, but her eyes, as they rested on the fabric in her hands, did not reflect warmness. "How long have you been on a ship?"

As she asked the question, she spun around and started walking down the dock to a section that was roped off by a velvet rope. A bright blue umbrella stretched across a set of finely made and large pillows that rest on a carpet around a table that the umbrella sprouted out of. Kaisea settled herself on the green pillow, offering the other woman a silver pillow with the motion of her hand. A shirtless man scurried over to set out a tea set and poured both a cup of tea.

No navigator? Well that was fine. She hadn't navigated a ship in what felt like a lifetime. Though she wasn't entirely sure where she had learned to navigate, or when the last time she'd done it was. She just... knew she could do it. And do it well. Just like her sewing, and her cooking. She simply knew these things, not of how she came to know them.

The woman herself was undoubtedly cold, but it did not particularly phase Sapphire. She needed not warmth to know she was appreciated or needed. Those who respected her work, earned a place in her heart weather they showed they wanted it or not.

The question was asked and the quick movement began, Sapphire's short stature making it difficult to keep up with the tall woman who she was going to simply refer to as Captain for the moment. Still, with only a slight disturbance to Mister, Sapphire kept up with her fast pace and found herself at a rather leisurely and expensive looking area, being offered a silver pillow. She took kindly to the offer and settled herself upon it with grace. The movement of a shirtless man, whom Saph could not help but think was rather delicious looking, scurrying to the two woman with tea nearly made her jump the poor fellow. A man bringing her tea was perhaps the largest turn on she could think of. Though those sorts of ideas ran through her head, her face didn't really quite show it. She looked almost bored at that. Sapphire attributed the lack of facial motions to her having once died.

"A good question. As long as I've been old enough to sail. From my fuzzy memories... I recall sneaking on board around the age of sixteen and it has been perhaps four years since I last set sail after a mysterious set of events that lost me my memories and gave me my current appearance." Sapphire replied in a rather matter-of-fact way, as if suddenly loosing your memories and coming back from the dead were everyday occurrences. Well, for her they were, but alas. There were more important things. Like drinking tea. Sapphire lifted the lovely cup to her lips and sipped, pulling away after a moment to let the flavor settle. "This is very good tea." she smiled faintly, sipping again. Tea was one of the things she truly took joy in these days. It made her feel old sometimes.

Kaisea studied the woman as she spoke. The general care-free way she spoke of an important crisis in her life impressed the Captain. Whether the potential cook was insane or simply really level headed, she didn't care. Sometimes crew had to be quite daft to deal with the things they ran across. The Mage had pulled up some pretty crazy seas to sail to fill her desire for adventure. A strong but slender hand plopped a few cubes of sugar into her tea. The Captain like things sweet.

"Life at sea is quite a life." She sipped her tea and set down her cup. The same hand that distributed the tea stuck out to offer in handshake. "I am Captain Kaisea. Pleasure to meet you." The word pleasure was said harshly as if it tasted bad in her mouth.

Life at sea is quite a life. How true those words were. Truer than even Sapphire realized at the moment. Mister let out a soft squeak at seeing the sugar, and Sapphire reached out, taking a cube before setting it on the brim of her hat for the mouse to nibble on.

As for the Captain's outstretched hand, Sapphire took it gratefully, her hands where not nearly as strong as the Captain's though. Her own hands were soft in some places, heavily calloused in others, as if her hand was a patchwork of different hands. Which, honestly it was. It was certainly strange to the touch though.

"A life at sea is the only one I wish for. The pleasure is all mine Captain. I am Sapphire Crestomanci. People call me Saph, Chief, and the Mad Hatter. You may call me anything you wish." she replied with a small nod before sipping the tea with her free hand. Ahh tea. Nothing quite like the joys of it. Honestly, she was only forty two and she acted like an old lady sometimes.

You may call me anything you wish. The corner Kaisea's mouth twitched, it could have easily been mistaken as a sort of smile. The woman was vexed and worked hard to hide it. Permission. She was given permission to do something she damn well was going to do no matter what the Hatter said. Tea was sipped to calm the woman's mind. Somewhere in the territory a water bridge was in the turmoil of a raging storm that Kaisea's mind created with the annoyance. With a few more ounces of sugary tea, the storm calmed in the Captain's mind as well as on the bridge. Things like that were bound to happen here. Kaisea angered easily.

"I have heard the term 'Mad Hatter' before but I cannot say I understand the term." The silver tea pot was still warm when Kaisea lifted it to pour more into her nearly empty cup. Tea and lots of sugar. It was the cure-all for a conversation. Elemental magic was linked very strongly to emotion, as was most forms of magic. It wasn't good to be so temperamental, but some how Kaisea survived and those around her did most of the time too.

Sapphire was not a woman to choose words carefully. In fact, it was rare when she thought about anything she said. She blurted what came to mind nearly always, and thanks to her quick reflex she hadn't been killed by one of her own remarks. It was bound to happen at some point, but Sapphrie wondered if it was even possible for her to die again. She was fairly certain she could sew herself back together, and perhaps she could even sew others back together. She needed to try it sometime.

Sapphire was also, not the most observant. She didn't particularly notice the Captain's vexation at her poorly chosen words. In fact, it was her friend Mister that seemed to shirk back suddenly. He was much more in tune with the world around him then oblivious Sapphire was. She glanced up at her friend, wondering what was possibly wrong with him that he would be so frightened so suddenly.

Sapphire herself was just about out of tea as well, and waited politely for the Captain to pour herself some more before taking the pot and doing the same. She didn't need nearly as much sugar for her tea, or any at all in fact. This tea was dark and strong, precisely as she liked it.

"It refers to the materials we used to use in hat making. Mercury I think was the compound's name, was frequently used for things and it drove many hat-makers insane. I have never used it myself, but they call me the Mad Hatter simply because they think I am mad and they know I make very high quality hats." Sapphire shrugged. It was a fairly simple and rather boring explanation she thought, but it would suffice. "I would think that I still have my sanity in tact, but they murmur and speak of my scars and my ways. It has yet to actually affect me though."