[center][color=f26522][h1]The Beginning of a Journey[/h1][/color][hr]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/qPDHsYe.jpg[/img][/center][hr]

Melin. A quiet town some 200 miles from Tholmhaven, built by the foot of a large rocky plateau that crops out of the ground like some rock monster. Many others like it dot the landscape around, all housing some form of a settlement. But by far, Melin is the biggest one around. The first settlers have made good use of the rock face, and carved into the stone to make landing pads and facilities to dock, house and repair airships and blimps. Here, in the relative safety of a thin shadowed area the first houses were made from the rocks excavated during the building of the docks. The farther you get away from the rock, the more you advance in time, and decrease in wealth. Most houses are built from the abundant rock the cliff provided, but as you exit into the shadow area into the blazing sun, the slums emerge with their rickety houses made from less stone, and more junk metal. This urban sprawl lasts for a good hundred meters or so, dotted with the occasional larger stone building. Melin is known to be an oasis to the weary travelers: it houses nothing of importance for a trading man, but it has a natural spring, and as such, many bars and entertainment facilities. Even a bath that costs a hefty sum to enter, but it's a luxury not many towns can afford. Windmills loom above the bustling town, far above even the airships to generate electricity for everyone below.

It enjoys a steady stream of traffic during the early and late hours, with practically still air between 9 AM and 16 PM. In the morning, mercenaries and traders arrive to bring their goods. They spend the hot day in town, before leaving to other settlements come the night hours. This way they can avoid the blazing sun making their water supplies boil away, and damage their machinery. The few ships that do come around noon are usually the interesting ones: they are either in a distress or a hurry, or they don't have to struggle with overheating. Either way, they are usually what prospectors look for in the rare case they appear.

Indeed, this time wasn't different either. The watchmen saw the ship approaching from nearly 20 miles away with their scopes as they sun's light beamed off the metal bits. About an an hour ago, most decent folk could spot this second sun in the sky steadily growing as it approached. It took another 30 minutes for the wind to carry the first musical tones of an engine's rumble to the town, by which time the main docking station was already filled with all kinds of people, looking for work. The ship didn't smoke, and the watchers told them it didn't look like it was damaged either. That meant someone or something important was arriving.

But as the ship drew close, it was becoming quite obvious just how much people were wrong. From the size of the light, most people expected a B, heck even an A rank blimp. But as it approached, and sense could be made of it's shape, it was clear that it was much smaller. It was a large C sized ship, pushing the limits into B maybe, but it wasn't as impressive by size as people thought. What was impressing however, was the myriad brass plates that covered it's slender airframe, reflecting the light like angry laser beams. An engraved bracing run along the top and bottom along the ship, connecting in the back into the engine cover, and in the front into an elegant spike. Engravings ran along this large metal piece, thought they were hard to make out. A tiny cupola hung below this majestic body, made out of wood and similar brass. It wasn't that impressive, and it tempted the question where a lot of the things were housed. 

A few people left in disappointment, but most of the crowd stayed to see how things were going to go down. A large mirror built into the front spike gleamed towards the dock watchers, and they began moving the cranes and ropes into position to fix the ship. The sound of the engines died out as the ship made the last dozen meters while gently floating into place. Workers threw ropes over to the railings of the ship to pull it closer, and the crane was readied inc ase it carried cargo. Silently, the ship came to a full halt in the shadow of the rocky above, and a name could be read on one of the larger plates in beautifully engraved letters "Magnificent". Indeed, the ship was a true beauty, but beauty is often traded for utility purposes on most ships.

You all watch from the crowd with high expectations. All of you are here looking for a way outta town on a decent vessel, and this might be your chance. Soon enough, those waiting around eagerly could spot the crew leaving the ship. A ramp lowered from the cabin to the port, and a group walked out onto the rocky port. In front walked a man who was obviously the one driving the ship, judging by his feathered leather cap, though his clothes were rather ragged. Behind him, a crew member was leading a prisoner bound by simple ropes. Despite his clearly grave status, he carried himself like the true boss of the group, and even smiled at the crowd that has gathered. Then another prisoner was lead out by a crew member, this time a girl with a vivid pink hair. Unlike the first one, her hands were cuffed behind her and she was led like that. She carried herself with less of an attitude than the other one, but she was suspiciously calm apart from a few glances traded with her captors. Was she not afraid or angry?

Thought the first two drew attention as they were loud, they stopped as the captain in front began to talk with the harbormaster. But the crowd's attention quickly shifted back to the ship, as it gently rocked while two of the crew crept down the ramp, pulling something via  chain. After a lot of effort, a beast of a man finally emerged from the cramped doorway, the chains connecting to shackles around his neck. His hands were tied with not one, but three handcuffs. He was a hulking abomination, standing over 2 meters with forearms the size of his captor's legs, a bald head made magnificent by a strong beard. [color=ed1c24][b]"You puny man cannot contain Misha! I will break free!"[/b][/color] He shouted with a russian accent so thick you could cut it with a knife. He struggled against his chains, but he was finally brought off the ramp as a final crew member exited the ship behind him, and helped the other two pull this "Misha" person. [color=ed1c24][b]"Chains cannot hold me! Don't worry captain, I'll get us out of here in no time!"[/b][/color] The prisoner in the front chuckled silently, almost unnoticeably.

The captain of the ship only took a glance back as he spoke privately with the portmaster, handing him a small sack of what must've been Dim for the port services. Then he motioned for his crew to follow and he made his way towards the crowd gathered around. [b]"Aye, what are ye lookin at? Mind yer own business, we ain't hiring!"[/b] He shouted, and waved around with his hands to clear himself a way through the gathered crowd.

The amusement of the crowd lasts for a few second as they are told to disperse. Have you come this far only to be told to fuck right off? Most of the people gathered clearly think the same as they began to slowly disperse. [color=f26522]"Excuse me gentleman! Who is looking for some quick Dim?"[/color] All eyes turn towards the prisoner in the front. The captain in front turns back to punch him, but he misses as the prisoner ducks out of the way swiftly. [color=f26522]"A 100 Dits for every one of these dead posers!"[/color] He exclaims while ducking out of the way from another punch. The crewman are getting weary and anxious: they clearly didn't plan for this.