"Yes Mithas, that definitely got the blood pumping. And you let me know if you ever need any more butter -- I'm happy to keep you well supplied."
"Ya, thanks again for that, it came in handy today. I should be good for a while, it doesn't take much. What I really need is get my hand on my component pouch, but if you all could keep you eyes open, collectively we might be able to get some what I need."
Mithas asks them all to be on the lookout for several things: a pinch of wool, a small piece of cured leather, a candle and a small pouch. He's pretty sure he can get his hands on some sand from the sandstone blocks the next time they swab the deck, but if anyone finds any beforehand it would also be helpful.
Master Scourge comes tromping down the stairs, and you can see a very obvious look of disappointment as he observes the wounded and fallen pirates.
"All right, you unruly scrubs! On the deck! Swabs - yer for hauling rope and knot work t'day! You, rigger!" he points to Jericho. "Up to the Crow's nest, lookout!"
----
Lazha, when you reach the galley, Kroop is drunk, barely holding himself together. "Ah righ, you," he slurs. "No' sur' ah can hep t'day - BRAAP!" And with a great final belch, he passes out, collapsing to the floor.
As Mithas is neither strong nor robust, he will work diligently at his task.
Lazha shakes her head at the large cook sprawled on the floor. I guess now we'll see how good a cook I really am. But first I need to get Ambrose taken care of.
Lazha drags the cook back to his hammock and tucks him in. Then she returns to the galley and tries to do exactly what she did the day before, only without supervision.
OK, so I'm fixing fish and...fish. And adding water. And some of those spices he likes to stir into the stew. Here goes nothing.
Intelligence Check:
Octavia wants to talk to Jack Scrimshaw today, She sees the young lad running about and wants to find out how he got here.
She'll ask him how a young lad got on board, she'll ask him about the scrimshaw that he makes. If the conversation goes well she'll ask if he knows of any way she might be able to get something of value so she can barter on the ship.
@Mithas - It is good that you focused at your task. However, During the day, and seeing the hard work you are having to do to complete your task, each of Tilly, Sandara, and Rosie offer to help you with your duties, as necessary, on future days.
@Lazha - You have settled upon what must be an old favorite for the crew, for at dinner that night you receive some appreciative grins and smiles, and some begrudging nods. Syl, however, still curses you when you come close.
@Octavia - Jack seems quite taken by the attention you bestow upon him. He shares that he first picked up the scrimshaw knife out in Ollo. When he learned he had a bit of talent for it, he hopped a ship for the better markets of Port Peril. One bad turn led to another, and now he's here.
He shares that you might be able to ask a loan from someone, though he has never done so. "Maybe if someone liked you a whole lot? Pirates arent the 'liking' sort, though," he concludes glumly.
@Jericho faces a long day in the crows nest, but first a tall climb up to it.
After a rough start, he makes it to the top. Faced with the prospect of making the climb again, or staying and diligently watching, Jericho opts to watch carefully. At one point, Barefoot Sams Toppin comes up and joins him, offering to help watch out for a bit.
Unfortunately, even with the temporary aid, Jericho's relatively poor vision nearly runs the ship up on a sandbar, before another eye catches it, shouts out a warning, and Mr. Plugg whips the wheel away from possible disaster.
Day 3 - Bloody Hour and Evening
Jericho receives a firm tongue-lashing from Plugg at bloody hour that evening, but otherwise no punishments are handed out that evening.
Dinner is, indeed, a very good fish stew, and you all receive a ration of rum to go with it.
Lazha sets aside some of the dinner for Ambrose when he's feeling better. She also makes sure to wink at Syl as she serves her her dinner. I love to see her scowl.
After drinking her rum ration, Lazha looks around for Badger Medlar to influence. She tries to get her talking about her time as a pirate -- how'd she come to be on board the Wormwood anyhow?
Charisma
Fatigue
Diplomacy
@Lazha - The older half-elf grudgingly chats with you for a bit. "Been in the Shackles for some decades now. Came down from Cheliax. Fished mostly, fer years, but in transit one day the ship I was on passed the path of the Wormwood. Been here since then. What's it to you?"
Octavia Drinks her rum and then goes looking for Quartermaster Grok to have a conversation while they drink.
Charisma Bonus
Fatigue
She'll do her best to keep a boisterous attitude and tell some jokes she thinks a sailor and a pirate might enjoy. She won't bother asking for any of her equipment.
Diplomacy Check:
Mithas will leave the ladies to work their wiles and go to bed early, so he can get up a bit earlier to study his spellbook before the work day starts.
@Octavia - You and Grok have a very wonderful evening of drinking, particularly as her usual drinking partner, Kroop, is already quite unconscious from drink. After quite a bit more to drink, "You n yer friends are all right," she slurs. "Come by th' shop t'morrow, day or eve. We can talk the business end o' piracy."
@Mithas - On your way to the hammocks, you pass Tilly and Barefoot Samms on the way down, and they raise their glasses to you. "Never seen Scourge's cronies put down, especially not that way," Tilly toasts you. "Cheers for your courage! Let us know if there is anything we can do for you!" Samms offers.
Jericho spends most of the evening watching a game of hog lob. After watching a few games, he asks Rosie for a loan of a few gold to challenge one of the other crew members, and after a moments thought, she agrees. "Yer a big ----er, thats fer sure. An ye showed those ----s this morning with a couple good swings. But it'd be a ----ing shame to lose a few measely gold to these ----s, so don't aim too high. I'd challenge that tall dark ---t, Shivikah. Less likely to slit yer ----ing throat for winning."
Jericho approaches the tall Mwangi woman and challenges her to the game, and she agrees with a shrug, and a wager of 5 gold is agreed upon for the best of 5 lobs.
It comes down to the last lob, but Jericho walks away with the prize. He gives what he borrowed back to Rosie, pockets the remainder, and heads down to sleep for the night.
After a hearty evening of drink and conversation, Octavia will head to bed, hoping Grok will remember the conversation despite all the rum.
Day 4 - Morning (Sightly longer post)
You awaken to an exceptionally warm morning on the Wormwood, and breakfast is a quiet event for the inebriated and hungover crew. Kroop has apparently sobered up enough to get the meal together on his own this morning.
@Mithas and @Octavia - Swabs are assigned to once again clean the deck, with holy stones and scrubbing brushes. There are general murmurs and complaints from all the swabs, which Scourge silences with a shout of "Ye'd rather be lashed t' the mast then? Go on, up an' on with ye!"
Tilly, Sandara, and Rosie offer to work near you today, and Jack Scrimshaw looks easy to also join you when Scourge singles him out. "you there, little Jack! Special duties today - yer to work the bilges. There's cargo as needs looked through, and yer small enough t' do it. Get goin on down there!"
Jack's face is crestfallen, but - wanting to avoid punishment - merely knuckles his forehead quickly and makes for the stairs.
@Jericho and the Riggers are put to the task of making routine repairs of the rigging.
@Lazha - When you go to the kitchen, you see the slight form of 'Caulky' Tarroon, the captain's cabin girl, in conversation with Kroop. "Special day?" Kroop asks. "What the hells he lookin' t celebrate?"
"It's the anniversary of a particularly special victory, he says," Caulky reports. "Can you not do this?"
Kroop squints, then asks, "Wait a touch, what day be it?"
"The 20th of Gozran," she reports, and Kroops face goes a bit paler.
He nods several times, then waves her away as he busies himself. When he sees @Lazha, he takes a long pull from a bottle, then waves it your direction. "Might want a hit before we do this. When yer ready, go get us a pig from the main hold."
Aye sir. A pig from the hold.
Lazha crosses to cook and briefly touches his shoulder. What's wrong, boss? What happened on the 20th of Gozran?
@Lazha - Kroop grunts, takes another drink, then passes you the bottle. "It be the day I lost me soul to this ship. It do no be a happy memry. Get th' pig. This is best convers'n over butchery."
When you return with the pig, Kroop hands you a long knife. "Right, best get ye in on the bloody work right away. Hope you have a strong stomach. We'll start by bleeding out the throat. I'll hold 'im, you cut 'im. Then I'll show ye how t' dice 'im up from there, see."
As with before, Mithas uses mage hand and prestidigitation to ease the hard work of swabbing the deck. He accepts any help offered and chats amiably with Tilly, Sandara, and Rosie.
During the day he tries his best to grind two holy stones together to make a little bit of sand to pocket. He tries to do this unnoticed.
Ambrose, the Wormwood may have your body, but your soul is your own. They can never take that from you. Why, you've already found a fine way to keep your soul free from them, to put it where they can never touch you. There are other ways, but I don't mean to preach. If you ever want to hear more about the Goddess of the Third Way, and how you can keep your soul inviolate, just let me know.
But in the meantime, I've never bled a pig before, so I hope I do this right.
Never bled them from the neck, either. Just the wrists.
And as long as we're up to our elbows in blood, why don't you tell me more about this anniversary.
@Lazha - Kroop looks at you cautiously. "Prosletyzer, then? Well, so be it. But me whole self now be bound to this boat. Gambled it away durin' a night o' cards with the captain. Thought he'd a tired o me by now, but he keeps me around, so I keep drinkin' until he lets me go."
Your technique needs polish, but you successfully make a cut to bleed out the pig without causing too much ruckus. Kroop grunts in approval, "Good on yeh. Try an' catch as much o the blood 's possible in that bucket there. Ain't gonna get it all, we'll need t' swab later."
@ Mithas - You manage to weather the heat quite well!
Late in the morning, as you are all working away, Jack Scrimshaw runs up on deck and makes straight for Mr. Plugg. Mithas, Octavia, and Jericho (all being on deck) easily see his ashen face and hear him report, "Sir, there's rats bigger n' me down in the bilges! One bit me!"
Plugg looks cross for a bit, then curses. "Need to keep me out of the food... All right! You three!" he points out Mithas, 'Antonius' and Jericho. "Get her friend from the galley and get t' the bilges. Ye've been volunteered for rat catchin' duty!"
Octavia will try and visit Grok during the day. Hoping her new found friend will help her get her equipment back, and also hoping to sneak away from the blistering sun for a few minutes.
Octavia will keep chat with Grok a bit, laugh about a few jokes they shared last night and after a while she'll hint that it would be really helpful if she could get a few of her things back (or all if Grok is feeling friendly), like her sword and maybe a spell component pouch.
She'll then return to work and hope she doesn't have to work too hard to catch up.
Str Check: doh!
Later when they are ordered to the bilges, Octavia will hurry down to the kitchen and let Lazha know what they've been ordered to do. And if the other's willingly go she'll go along
Naderi's Mercy isn't to everyone's taste, I know. Don't worry, Ambrose, if you're not interested, I'll not bring her up again.
Lazha is interrupted halfway through dicing up the pig by Antonius' arrival and Plugg's summons.
Rats? Uh...sure. Can you manage without me, Ambrose, or should I stay here?
Lazha then goes or stays as Kroop wishes.
@Octavia - Grok gives you a friendly grunt when you first enter, and does indeed remember the evening of drinking and conversation. When you ask for your sword back, she thinks for a moment, shrugs, then goes to a locker, opens it up, and surprisingly offers you back your other items as well. "Want the whole kit? It's pretty safe here in my shop, though you can get a key to a locker down the hold if you like. Might be easier to access, though might also get pinched. Tell yer friends they can get theirs too, if they need."
When you ask for a spell component pouch, she shakes her head. "Afraid I've only got the one from yer friend, and he's like to want it. Keep an eye out for bits here and there though, or make me a list and I'll see what can be found without pilfering the ship's stores. Bits of this and that turn up all th' time."
@Lazha - Kroop shakes his head. "Don't mind ye talking 'bout her, just know I may no' be list'nin. Don't pay mind to most folks, cept the captain now, though yerself is all right, n' yer friends."
When you are summoned away, Kroop gives you a wave and takes up his cleaver. [b]"Come back when yer done. Be careful, em bilge rats can get big. Lemme know if there's good meat on 'em." The black chicken on his shoulder gives a loud bwaaak as you exit.
The four of you descend to the lower hold and open the hatch down to the bilges. It is completely dark, foul smelling, and very hot down there. You can hear brackish water sloshing about as the ship sways in the breeze. Wisps of spiderwebs drift just inside the hatch.
Jericho looks in, shudders a bit, then turns to the rest of you, "Ok, I can go in there first, but I can't see in darkness. Have any of you a light?"
You can't see...oh right. I can go first if need be.
You should all know that with Naderi's grace I can stun creatures for a few seconds when I touch them. If the rats are really that fierce, I might try stunning them, and leaving them to you to kill.
"Perhaps, we should find us a lantern. I wont of much use in the dark."
Octavia walks up behind them as they get ready to go into the bilges,
"I can try and go first if you like, Grok was kind enough to give me back my things and that includes my weapons, she also mentioned the three of you should head by when she's there and see her about what you had before. In the mean time maybe these would help"
She offers the group 2 daggers, She then takes a look around, "I'm sure we could just grab a lantern from the hold here couldn't we?
Perception Check:
disguise Attempt
@Lazha - "By the sound of that water, it might be deep enough that they are hiding under it," Jericho observes, "So that is likely to be quite helpful."
@Mithas - Jericho nods in agreement.
@Octavia - You find a lamp along the far wall, and it is easy to retrieve and light.
Jericho grunts thanks, then begins lowering himself down into the hold. "Here we go!"
Mithas delays his action to allow the ladies to go before him and the follows the down.
Octavia grabs the lantern in one hand and her sword in the other and heads confidently down the stairs, at least she hopes she looks confident.
She swings the lantern from left to right as she descends trying to make out anything in the bilges.
Don't really need this lantern but should keep up appearances I guess
Perception:
@Octavia - You aren't able to detect any of the rats, but are ready to strike if one appears.
@Jericho swings down the ladder behind you and also stands ready.
There is a sudden explosion of movement near your feet, as a trio of very large rats lung out of the water and bite at your shins.
Jericho returns the favor with a solid punch, reinforced by brass knuckles. . The punch easily crushes the rat's skull.
You skewer the rat and it flops at the end of your rapier.
Lazha takes the proferred dagger from Antonius, and follows him as he descends the ladder. The rats attacked him before she had reached the water, and she watches as Antonius and Jericho kill two of them.
I'd thought to stun them, but since there's only one left I might as well kill it.
Lazha moves between Antonius and Jericho and slashes at the remaining rat.
Attack Roll:
Damage:
"Eeek!!" Octavia lets out a girlish screem as she gets bitten, she bits her tongue hard and manages to skewer a rat. Oh no! I hope they didn't hear that!
If Mithas can see any of the rats he will cast from the top of the ladder, if not then he will go town and try to get to a spot not adjacent to any of the rats.
If he can't get to anywhere that doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity when he casts, then he stays topside.
@Lazha - Your dagger just misses.
@Mithas - They are rather low in the water when not leaping out to attack, and so it is difficult to get an exact fix on their position.
@Jericho Jericho doesn't seem to notice the exact pitch of your scream in the midst of being attacked by a giant rat. He sloshes through the bilges water, then punches downward where he thinks the rat remains...
...but only makes a large splash in the water.
Seeing that Jericho has a rat cornered between them Octavia will try and skewer it.
(+2 for flanking) Dmg:
After her attack she will take a 5 foot step into the room to get out of Lazha and Mithas' way.
The rat next to Jericho leaps out at him
...but just misses.
Three more forms suddenly surge up from the murky waters:
The first makes for @Lazha
and scores a bite on her arm. Though it is a foul wound, you shrug off the worst of the ill effects.
The second makes for Octavia
And manages to chew through a leg of your pants.
The third for Jericho
Who is also bitten across the shin.
Both Octavia and Jericho manage to shrug off the disease ridden bites as well.
Lazha grimaces at the pain in her arm. "Naderi," she say, "Help me put these creatures down."
Lazha touches the rat that bit her, using Gentle Rest.
Mithas will drop down into the hold and fire an acid dart at any rat that he can see.
This time Octavia turns surprise at the rats attack into a high pitched scream, too high for the others to hear.
Ear-piercing Scream to the second rat (DC 14) Dmg:
School evocation [sonic]; Level bard 1, inquisitor 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw Fortitude partial (see text); Spell Resistance yes
You unleash a powerful scream, inaudible to all but a single target. The target is dazed for 1 round and takes 1d6 points of sonic damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d6). A successful save negates the daze effect and halves the damage.