Embarkment

''His gaze swept around the near deserted dock. It was the dead of night and only a few solitary figures shuffled around the moored ships. With a light tap the rider guided his horse towards the furthest ship. Rough looking, armored shadows scurried around it, loading cargo and performing last minute repairs on the old, merchant's vessel. The guard pulled himself up from his lounging position leaning against a pile of crates, then approached the mounted Gnome with a confident swagger. The human challenged him, his hand hovering above a rusty looking cutlass. “What yer wantin' 'ere then?". Tugging his hood further down to cover his dead lifeless face, Diliamem looked directly at the pirate, His unnatural, fiery white eyes staring into the humans. “Speak with respect to your betterss human... my Business is my own, as I am ssuposed to be here." Lowering his head again the Gnome urged his horse up the wooden plank onto the ships deck. The pirate offered no resistance. He just stood and watched Diliamem with a mixture of awe and fear on his weathered features. With a sigh of frustration Diliamem set the crumbling tome down gently besides the polished, bone encased book, the skulls on across it's strap glinting strangely in the flickering candle-light. Sweeping his long silken cloak around his form, the Necromancer pushed the Cabin door open. He stepped out onto the deck of the pirate’s ship, shielding his eyes with a gloved hand. Shadows dam the infernal sun! Even with a full face covering hood it still stung his sensitive eyes beyond what was bearable. "Captain", Diliamem called in his ever bored sounding voice. A lean looking human made his way across the swaying deck towards the Hooded and cloaked Gnome. "I am here Master Gnome, is there something you require of this humble sailor?" The Necromancer's lips turned upwards in an amused smile, hidden by his shadowed face. The pirates had, at first regarded the strange gnome with curiosity. But that had soon turned to feared respect. The Captain had been "only to happy to give over his own cabin to such an honored guest". After a moment of thought Diliamem answered, "Indeed...how far are we from our desstination. I grow weary of this sship. I can hardly study in such an environment...." The gnome glanced around the pirate vessel, watching the many crewmembers, some sitting around crates rolling dice, others drinking. "Although perhapss I could experiment on ssome of your crew hmh?" The pirate captain's grip tightened on the gold encrusted handle of a cutlass hanging at his belt before he remembered who spoke to him. With some effort the captain replied, the strain of keeping any hint of anger from his voice clearly showing. "Not necessary I am sure master Mage, Northrend will be in sight within the week". Hissing in disgust Diliamem gestured towards the captain, spitting out a word of power. An ice bolt flew past the shocked pirates head, embedding itself in the wall of the cabin next to him! Smirking Diliamem turned, entering the captain's former quarters again, he called out to the stunned sailor as he closed the door, "Make sure we arrive in good time dear captain. Or I sshall not be happy at all." Chuckling coldly the gnome settled back into the, centaur skin clad, chair. Letting his hood fall back, Diliamem examined himself in the small mirror hanging above the captain's desk. His gaunt, deathly pale face stared back at him, his burning white eyes betraying neither emotion nor thought. Waving a hand angrily, he watched the mirror explode violently into a million shards, as if an invisible fist had crushed the glass. Diliamem smiled, his boredom momentarily lifted, at the destruction he had caused. The gnome procured a fist sized blood red gem from his long purple robes. Then settling back he let his mind skim across the waves...''