Reinald tosses the garbage at the boarders careful to miss with the bottles.
"Come gang its just garbage don't let them take the rail easy." He winks at the boarders.
"I'll join you Jord. Might as well get this over with," the undine said.
"Unfortunately, no. My recipes aren't quite finalized. I'll let you know."
-----
Doctor Genade stands at the rail, watching the two small sailors swim out to the boat. He bends down and picks out a nice apple, only half rotten. Time for a little catharsis.
The moment one of the two swimmers starts up the ropes, he lets fly. All in good fun, right?
Jerieth was a bit unsure about this. On the one hand, she understood the need for training and preparing new crew members for the future. But then on the other hand, she really didn't want to hurt her friends. And then there was the problem of her pulling her punches and being punished for it.
'I may as well go next.' Kunala lines up behind Jord and Jerieth, watching what they are doing so he can learn from their example.
Conchobar's first throw is close but does not hook onto the rail while Rosie's connects. She begins to climb while Conchobar reels his back in and throws again, missing again. Riaris seems to be yelling at him, likely not encouragement, while Rosie climbs further, making it 22ft. towards the Wormwood so far.
Jord tries to put more effort in this time throwing with gusto and a yell
"Dodge this!.. "
Sejanus steps up and takes a grapnel. He swings the rope in a slow circle, speeds up, and let's it fly!
When the time comes Reinald readies the grapnel. Swings it a few times to get a feel.
Kunala continues watching carefully, turning to Sejanus "Hey Sejanus, shall we go after Jord and Jerieth, may as well get it over with, right."
"Lets go Jerieth, lets show em how how crewmates get this done."
It took Jerieth two tries before getting the grappling hook onto the ship on the third try. She immediately starting climbing towards the ship.
[dice=Trash throwing]1d20+3-2
[dice=Trash throwing]1d20+3-4
[dice=Trash throwing]1d20+3-2
[dice=Trash throwing]1d20+3-4When the time comes Reinald readies the grapnel. Swings it a few times to get a feel.
[dice=Grapnel]1d20+3-6
[dice=climb]1d20+8
[dice=reflex]1d20+3
[dice=reflex]1d20+3
[dice=reflex]1d20+3
[dice=reflex]1d20+3
"Alright Doc looks like its us." Once in the boat Reinald quietly asks, "You done anything like this before?" He offers a couple tips.
Sejanus flings the grapnel and catches the railing on the first try!
His makes his way across the ropes!
He dodges the rubbish and is home safe!
Kunala watches Jord and Jerieth When it's their time to use the grapple, Kunala begins throwing trash at them, Laughing as he does so, "Ha, Here Jord have a tomato!"
Rosie quickly makes it over ahead of Conchobar who falls in once before finally climbing all the way to the wormwood. "Shall I craft the glorious tale of Conchobar the drowned?" she teases. "Shut your trap." He finds his hat and slaps it back on. "Well who's next?" he says, not wanting anyone to stare at him.
"Great if this was real you'd be chum." Reinald swims back and climbs again."
Reinald takes the rail. Climbs over and readies to toss at the next group.
Reinald takes the rail. Climbs over and readies to toss at the next group.
Climb 16
Reflex 13
'I hate climbing' Kunala quickly takes his armor off and dives over the rail with his grappling hook, swimming out to the boat and swimming back, he tosses the hook over the rail, and starts to climb getting hit by trash he swims back so many time that he lost count, eventually getting over the rail. Shrugging his shoulders he smiles at his friends, "I'll shoot them from our boat."
The doctor sighs. "I'm not looking forward to this. I've never been very good at climbing."
All do passably, at least getting to the Wormwood eventually and suffer minimal insults from Riaris. Unfortunately Genade and Kunala fall a few too many times for her liking and get an earful after three falls. "Blast ya you useless curs. If it were up to me I'd drop you in the sea right now." After everyone has gone through the training the boat is rowed back in and you all help haul it back onto the Wormwood."You all know what to do even if you can't do it to save your own life. Soon you'll be facing far worse than some bottles and rotten fruit thrown at you." She leaves, likely to report the results of the day to the Captain.
-----
Soon the day is done and Fishguts serves his usual slop.
Jerieth spends time talking to Cog, trying to understand him a bit more.
"Since we're both working on the same ship, I thought it would be best that we get to know each other."
Hmmm, who haven't I met yet?'Kunala looks around the crew, for a sailor he hadn't gotten to know yet. Seeing the gnome Giffer Tibbs he walks up and starts a conversation. "Giffer is it? I've seen you about the ship, but I haven't had the opportunity to meet you. I'm Kunala, I've been helping Fishguts with the cooking, Is there anything you like I can tell him to fix?" Kunala spends the evening attempting to make friends with the odd gnome.
During dinner Reinald chats quietly with the other new recruits. "We are getting near the shipping lanes and they are going through the motion of training us for combat." He sighs, "We are going to see some action soon." He takes a drink. "We still have a number of folks who give us the stink eye. Might be a good idea to get them seeing us as less as enemies. We don't need to be shanked in the tussle or abandoned when we need our flank covered." He looks around. "We also need to give those who smile at us reason to risk for us too."
When Reinald sees Kunala and Jereith focus on enemies Reinald moves to speak with friends. "Hey Ratline, they had us working on boarding today. . . looks like fighting will be on us soon. I've seen you in the rigging I know you've done some sailing. Sailing rarely comes with risk of getting into a scrape." He looks to see if Ratline has a drink if not he grabs an extra for him. He lifts hos glass, "Here's to many more years of horizon chasing."
Jord will approach Tilly Brackett again..
"Well lass I've had a bit o time to think and I might have some more entertainment worthy of you. Now I seem to enjoy thinking up these jokes just to please you so, i'm thinking I should maybe keep doing it, if that's fine with you?" He looks a bit expectantly at her..
"Oh and here's the jokes - Don't break a heart a person only has one, break their bones they have 206. Aaand slightly darker Mommy, mommy, I don't want to visit grandma today! "Shut up and keep digging, boy."
Sejanus approaches Rosie. "Would you like to hear a joke?" He looks left and right conspiratorially to check for anyone nearby.
"What do you call a ranger without an animal companion?"
Ratline and Rosie become firmly cemented as allies but not much progress is made with anyone else.
-----
The next morning Plugg and Scourge assign your jobs a little differently. Jerieth is assigned to Linework and Reinald gets Mainsail duties. Jord is assigned to Man the Bilges, Genade to Repairs and Sejanus to Swab the decks. "From now on these will be yer duties everyday on this ship. You've proved yourselves incompetent so you'll do the most basic and backbreaking work until we see otherwise and we'll be watching you all closely. Now get to it!"
Kunala gets up with the rest of the crew, still grumpy about taking so may attempts to climb the day before. Walking into the kitchen Fishguts raises a jug and beckons Kunala to have a drink, they begin to shoot the breeze together, as they prepare the meal. At one point in time Grok comes in to have a drink with them and Kunala talks at long lengths with the half orc. At one point and time winking at her and asking"Sssshhhooo tell me Gruk have, have, have you, you, you, and my bbbbuddy, Sejums, Sejands, Sejanus hooked up yet?"
'Oh my head.' Sobering up a little, later in the evening Kunala approaches Giffer again attempting to get to know her better. "Where did we leave off yesterday?"
"Demonstrably untrue but aye aye sir, you are in command." He heads to his duties.
Scourge lashes out at Reinald with the whip, "Any more talking from you and I'll put ya in the box!"
Genade isn't too disappointed in his lot. This task is the one he was best at.
But then everything goes wrong.
"Well at least I don't have to do lookout duty! That is actually my number one least favorite job being the rigger. I would die from being bored out of my mind," Jerieth said a little bit too loud as she quickly got to work before her backside got the lash too!
The work is indeed backbreaking about the undine woman is at least glad she isn't assigned lookout duty in the crow's nest as the mean thought of being permanently assigned to that task would drive her insane from sheer boredom.
Afterwards, she immediately talks to Cog again trying to see if she can get the Varisian to open up some.
"So tell me Cog, what sort of tales and stories do you enjoy? Just curious. I've heard numerous tales from around the world, some of which I don't even believe myself! So if you tell me what kinds you like I'll be sure to tell you as many as I possibly know and even some I might have experienced as well. For example, did you know that you couldn't kill an undine by marooning them on an island? That's because we undine can get our nourishment from drinking salt water!"
When Conchobhar is near Reinald strikes up conversation, "Looks like the dice have left me short. I'm gonna be tugging line for some time. How go things in the sails."
Looking mutinous at his job choice
"Bah! At least the rats make for better company, I might name."
After finishing the hard days work
Jord will visit Owlbear Hartshorn a few times each time just lingering long enough to tell him a short jokes or tell him how his day was and to ask what Owlbear would like to do when off the ship
Sejanus scrubs, and scrubs, and scrubs, and scrubs... and is exhausted from his effort. He listlessly eats dinner and flops into his hammock.
"He'll pay his debts when I say they're due. The situation on this ship is a bit dangerous right now. Hopefully everyone feels better when we finally get to let off some steam and fight." Grok joins in though and gets as drunk as Fishguts.
-----
Owlbear is grateful for the talks with Jord and soon has a big smile every time he sees Jord coming his way. "Owlbear will go with Plugg and catch more like you for work on this ship. He own Owlbear. Make fight. I carry you all here from Port Peril."
-----
Conchobar works the same job with you today. "Aye the dice favour you one day and curse you the next. Don't fear matey, after yesterday there's definitely bound to be some action soon. I can feel it in the breeze. Fight well, I reckon we'll gain the Captain's favour and become true Buccaneers of the Shackles!"
-----
Cog does not respond well to Jerieth's friendly chat, "Why'r'ye bothering me? I'm not going to get dragged down with you. Focus on your work or it's your back'll feel the whip not mine." Though talking about tales he says, "The only good story is one that tells the gritty darkness of life. None of this fairy, happy ever after rubbish."
-----
During the day Plugg and Scourge keep their word and you are all closely watched. Genade gets rope bashed (hit with the end of a knotted rope) whenever he makes a mistake and made to start his task again.
Sejanus and Jerieth are pushed harder than normal ending their shift quite fatigued but luckily everyone else does their job satisfactorily and no more punishments are scheduled for the bloody hour at dinner.
-----
Giffer frowns when Kunala tries to make conversation again not making more sound than a few grunts of acknowledgement. She is a tough nut to crack.
The next day jobs are assigned as usual. Jerieth to Line Work, Reinald to Mainsail Duties, Sejanus to Swabbing and Genade to Repairs.
"There's been a leak in the bilges so I'm assigning 2 more crew there while our carpenter works on some repairs. Make sure you stay out of his way when he gets down there." Plugg warns Jord. He assigns Tam and Syl to help and says the Ship's Carpenter will be down within an hour and to get the place as pumped out as possible. Tam and Syl both look at each other and grin as they head belowdecks with Jord. Sandara is swabbing with Sejanus today and she mentions to him after they are gone and Plugg and Scourge are out of earshot, "That doesn't look good. They have dangerous looks in their eyes."
-----
You go below, passing the main hold and Kunala who is heading to the Galley, then finally making it to the hatch above the bilges. Syl lifts the hatch cover and holds his nose. "This place is worse than that time I was waiting to hang in Westcrown. C'mon we ain't got all day." You get to pumping for a few minutes when the other two go quiet then the hatch slams shut. You turn around to see they have drawn their daggers on you while you were unaware. "Bout time we got you alone. Best thing is they'll never know how you died when we crush you with those crates that unfortunately fell on you and killed you." Tam laughs at their cleverness and they lunge forward to stab you.
Jord - Tam - Syl
"So you cowardly curs are going to have at me then... "
Jord draws his morning star and swings at the first to get close
Jerieth tells Cog that she might know some good dark stories and she would be more than happy to tell them to him later on if he's still interested.
The next day....
The undine watersinger is once again assigned line work. She is very happy she hasn't been assigned to do lookout, making it clear while she works (and avoiding the whip as well) that she would just absolutely hate being assigned that job.
This time Jerieth is able to do her work and not get fatigued by it. Although it is still backbreaking, she quite enjoys it. She even makes a point to yell a thank you (from far away just in case it was a bad idea) Plugg and Scourge for not assigning her lookout duty!
Later on, she seeks out Cog to tell him some dark stories.
"Now this story is an old one, but I can assure you it's pretty dark. You see a long time ago, there was an old pirate named Old Jacob Madgold. He was a mean old man who no one liked, which suited Old Jacob just fine since he didn't like anyone either. The only things that surpassed his meanness was his greedy and miserly ways. You see Old Madgold had long ago acquired a great treasure which he kept when he was younger man. Several mason jars and a couple of small chests filled with gold and platinum coins! No one knew how he acquired them, but surely he got that treasure over the years, but his greed made him paranoid and he ran away with the loot and hid in the swamps near Port Peril so his old shipmates wouldn't find him and get back their share of the booty. Seems to work out as he lived to a ripe old age."
"This would be a poor story if that was the end, but it isn't. You see there was a group of siblings: two brothers and two sisters known as the Blackheart Siblings and everyone stayed clear of them, even the Free Captains, for they were the meanest and most dishonorable, not to mention the most blackhearted group of siblings that any poor mother ever gave birth to, hence their nickname. Did I mention that they killed their own parents in their sleep and robbed them of everything that wasn't nailed down, although some say that they also stole everything that was nailed down too just to spite their poor parents' souls and the rest of their kin? Now, everyone knew that Old Jacob Madgold hoarded his wealth, but no one was crazy enough to go after it. No one told that to the Blackheart Siblings. Of course, why would you say that to a group of people who were most likely to gut you for just glancing in their general direction? One night, the oldest sibling told the others, "Let's go into the swamp and kill Old Jacob Madgold and steal his treasure. No one likes the old man and so no one will care if he's robbed." So they went into the swamp, aided by blood red moon, and found Old Jacob's shack where he lived. The old man had dug up his treasure as he enjoyed shifting his hands through the gold and platinum coins for he was a greedy old bastard. When the Blackheart Siblings saw all that treasure, they just went crazy! Yelling, screaming, and howling like their sanity had just vanished into thin air, they beat Old Jacob senseless and then threw his body into the black muddy waters of the swamp, which swallowed up the old man's unconscious body while the Blackheart Siblings just laughed and laughed before they went and grabbed up all of the mason jars and small chests of treasure, and ran."
"Now that isn't the end story you see, for the siblings hadn't gone far into the swamp when they realized they were running in quicksand! They screamed and yelled for help as they struggled to get themselves out, but they were carrying too much treasure. Just before they went under, they heard Old Jacob Madgold laughing in a voice as loud as thunder! Some say that they also saw the ghost of the old pirate himself laughing at them!"
"They say that if you go into the swamps near Port Peril, you can still find Old Jacob Madgold's shack. If you investigate the area around the shack, you'll find a patch of ground that's always wet. If you run your hands over the grass on that wet patch of ground, you'll find fresh blood on your hands. And they say if you go into the swamps when the moon's just right, you can hear four people screaming. You can hear an old man laugh. And if you see an old man shifting his hands through mason jars and chests overflowing with gold and platinum coins, turn around and run like the hounds of hell are after you for that's the ghost of Old Jacob Madgold still hoarding his treasure."
Jerieth grinned at Cog as she finished her dark tale.