Mumbata clasps the tiny foul-cursing woman's hand in his large weathered hand. "Nah, ut be Mumbata. Un your gud wit da fists. Ur name be Siera?" Mumbata looks around half-way into a search of the bilge.
"Ah thunk we dunt want um gettung suspious uh whut we be duing dun hur. Saw we mignt nut wun ta tarry. Ut i'll say dis. Wormwood is bad juju. Un we needs da get off ah ur. Thats mutiny mate, hope to da gods they be worth o' da trust.
Mumbata's thorough search reveals nothing he did not find before. Lorn tries to scrabble up the wet planks only to find...more wet planks. In this sort of weather the bilges become little more than a salty sauna with nasty spiders just above your head.
"Spiders, spiders and more spiders. Yuck. No rats." Beads of sweat stinging her wounds, Lorn somehow makes her way to the ladder. "Just gonna step up and out for a breath of cooler air, feeling a bit warm." Her arm a bit stiff, she stealthily climbs up.
Rhialla smiles as the introductions flow.
"Good work all, here's a little bit of reward."
The beautiful priestess smiles as a wave of healing bursts from her, washing over the group like a warm island breeze, leaving a taste of fine rum in their mouths as a sultry caress across the injured areas of their bodies.
Channel positve energy
Siera takes a quick look at the hatch after hearing Mumbata's words, scanning for any spectators.
Take care of the words comin' outta ya mouth, big boy. That could be enuff for a few lashes or worse. Ya have nothin' to fear from me, though, and probably not from this band. S%&! rolls downhill and we're as down as we can get. Mebbe with a little help from one another we can avoid gulping down big mouthfulls of... Ya get mah meaning. And maybe we can scratch each other's backs and make this stay a lil' less awful. For me, I be sailin' for quite a few years. If they have ya on an assignment you don't know how to do or you need ta know the difference between the main-mast from the mizzenmast, ya can ask me. I'll do mah best to save ya a few lashes. Deal?
She offers her hand to the witch-doctor and the others.
She's right un dat, mutiny be uh keelhaul dat be fur sur, but summun had da say ut
Jah dat be ah fur point. But we all be new to da ship and dey be going us da short end. As if to emphasize the point Mumbata casts a concerned glance and Lorn. Unu how, ut needs da be said. Un ah knew ja uint da only da be thunking ut.
"The rats were handled pretty quick, but we should wait abit before heading up. Better they think we can't handle ourselves well. Probably should muss ourselves up abit too, make it seem like a struggle. If they think we can handle ourselves in a fight, they might pay a little more attention."
Lorn sits at the top of the hatch, feet dangling as she plucks at the slimy stink covering her now rat-torn threads. A cursory view around her for lurkers,
"Looks like a good opportunity to explore this lower deck to, you know verify no rats here either. Mumbata, please toss me one of dem' rats. We probably need proof of our success to avoid whipping time and no need to feed the spiders. I hate spiders..."
"Ja, dat be ah gud idea Lorn, we might all wunt to take um. Dat way dey can't say dat we dudent do ut! Reaching into the water Mumbata retrives one of the rats and hands it by the tail to Lorn.
If there are lurkers Lorn has difficulty seeing anything but their boots. Maybe.
I might as well be takn one for meself then.
Rorgrim retrieves one as well.
Bracing herself on top of the hatch, she lifts the rat that, quite possibly weighs as much as her. Talking into the bilge, "Rorgrim, promise me you'll not use it for any of our meals. Well, I could drag it around by its tail... he he he, I've a better idea." Lorn unties her sling/belt, loops a knot around the head and another tying the back legs together. She slings the whole slimy bilge-rotted mass across her backside, head up, leaving the hairless tail to drag along the floor behind her.
Satisfied with the weight distribution, she starts exploring, not waiting for the others to ascend. Leaving a dripping trail of two bare feet and a tail, she heads into the shadowed recesses of the lower deck.
*Edit:Really?
It may make a tasty soufflé! Rorgrim breaks out in a hearty chuckle. Lorn...you will not be heading down there alone.
Rorgrim heads down to protect his halfling friend.
Perception:
Rhialla takes a deep breath, the dirty bilgewater causing her already tatters clothing to cling revealingly.
"So since we're rid of the rats down here, let's go face the rats up there shall we?"
"Sounds good." Sylvestra grabs one of the rats by the tail, holding it out from here. "Disgusting creatures. Wonder how they let these ones get aboard."
"Dey probably came ahboard wun we took un stores. Dat dends da happen. But dey were bigger den jah mut expect. Jah ready da go topside?"
"Fine ta head up."
Looks like we be headin up Lorn. Let's show these scallywags what real sailors can do!
You emerge from the bilges to some muttering both good adn bad. It seems that what you did was not unnoticed and more that you were sent there somewhat unaware of what you went into. That you came out relatively unscathed is noticed as well. And with a snarl you hear Master Scourge stomp off to brood or perhaps come up with some suitable torment for you since you are making a bad habit of not even looking haggard and beat for his amusement.
Mr. Plugg looks on at you as you emerge from the bilges with a face of nonchalant patience as if he expected you to have been done hours ago.
"Good of ye to join us! Six men have trouble killing one measly little rat!?!" As you are about to voice your protest and lift up the collected corpses of creatures more akin to large badgers than rats he waves you off "Bah! Spare me yer excuses! Get back to work before I discipline ye properly!"
With that you are left to your duties.
With a grin slightly maniacal, Lorn adjusts her slung rat with simple "Aye Aye". Hearing the next bellowed order, she strides along to grab a hollystone and bucket. She starts to talk to her new companion, Hugs, as the deck splinters get sanded down. "Yes yes I know, work hard and maybe we can make friends. Yes I know Hugs. You'll always be my bestie. Now be quiet and watch where you put that tail. A gentle pat and she resumes scrubbing, preferably alongside one of the crew who have bothered her previously. "OOoooo This deck is a bit rough here. I've turned a new leaf, gonna learn from the best, me an Hugs want to be going places like you.
Nighttime: pending[/ooc]
Sylvestra gets about attending to her duties. While attending to them, she finds herself near the ship's sorceress's cabin. Taking a look to make sure she's clear, she calls upon the sea to grant her new sight, looking upon the door for the telltale signs of magic. If no auras are present, she'll listen to see if she hears anything inside the room.
Rising out of the bilges and onto the main deck rat in hand, Mumbata silently nods and knuckles his forehead as Mr. Plugg directs him to get back to work. Ut be ah gud thing we brought da rats with us, else he mah auh though we be ah boondogglen un. As the rest of the press-ganged party begins to scatter off to their duties, Mumbata slinks off into the galley following Gorgrim. Jah Rorgrim, wut did jah say ja wur looking for? Mumbata asks with a sly grin and a wink before he begins to poke his head around the galley looking for anything of use.
@Lorn: You get through the day without further incident.
@Sylvestra: The door itself is indeed magical. And you see a number of magical auras within the sorceress's quarters as well. Your parrot fidgets on your shoulders as you linger.
@Mumbata: Ambrose Kroop is rather suspicious of the strange foreign man digging around in his kitchen. Still this does little to prevent you from finding 12 silver fallen behind a cupboard. Quite a bounty considering that up until now, you had 0 silver.
Unwilling to risk the door, Sylvestra will do her best to stay out of sight, trying to stay near the sorceress's doorway, hoping to find a chance to 'bump' into her at some point during the day.
Evening comes a'calling. Lorn takes her rotgut rum happily, dripping the dregs into the rat's mouth. She proceeds to hum a broken lullaby mixed in with bits of voiced inner thoughts whilst walking(actually dragging it alongside) her new-found friend along the ship's perimeter. Introducing Hugs to the crew and admonishing it "not to bite" before continuing around. "Now mind your balance... Don't eat any rope... Thats a pretty constellation... Did I ever tell you about my first pet?...
She and Hugs will watch the gambling sailors in silence. Departing if they get aggressive. Influence NPC action: Bluff
Evening... the swell of the ship and she moves in the troughs of the sea, the laughter as sailors toss a greased brick or arm wrestle.
Ah jus dunt knu how dey stand ut. Being un da shup luk dis. Grimacing Mumbata moves easily though the drunken and rowdy sailors. Ah hate dis dammed shup and ah curse uts name o' gods. Wut ah need ur mah lock picks back. Gots to gather me gear so ah cun jump ship cum next ort'. Mumbata watches and waits for Kroop to come up on deck and drink some rum, as soon as he sees the man on deck he slips below deck to see if there's anything in the galley he might have missed on the first pass.
Siera spends the day working the sails and ropes, but finds some time to better get to know the ship.
After spending the day among rats and refuse, Siera desperately needs a drink. She does her best to clean up the smell and dirt, and gulps down the terrible rum without a second thought.
She then searches for any sort of entertainment; gamble, games, etc.
Rorgrim will attempt to influence the cook again for his daytime job and then play a game in the evening.
Diplomacy:
@Sylvestra: Peppery Longfarthing is not a particulalrly nasty sort. She simply ignores you citing that she's too busy with her own duties to be "carousing with members of the crew". She goes off to bed early with little more than a polite excuse and a shut door.
@Lorn: Lorn manages to make a friend. An odd bedraggled female gnome by the name of Giffer Tibbs finds Mr. Hugs hilarious and your apparent insanity instantly amusing. Both of you exchange dead rat stories which is both very funny and very creepy.
@Mumbata: The goats regard you solemnly as you tear through the kitchen. With a lot of searching you manage to come up with a fancy looking cook book. It's thinck and ominous vellum pages detail great and terrible dishes such as the delicate Quiche citing strange and foreign vegetables such as quinoa, beets, and kale. If you did not know better you'd swear Kroop was some kind of alchemist himself and this was his formulae book. Except that this just seems to be an extremely fancy cookbook.
@Siera:
Day: You take the time to explore and you manage to find the armory. You can tell its the armor by the sturdy locked door and the sign nailed to it that says. ""Armerry: Those cot openin this door are keeelhawled. Those caught stealing are keelhawled. Those caught breathin on this door are keelhawled. AND IF I BE THE ONE CATCHING YOU I BE THE ONE GUTTING YE FER THE SHARKS FIRST!! ~Master Gunner Riaris Krine"
@Rorgrim: Kroop is a delightful gentleman even drunk. Which he especially is. You find that there's little need to influence him. By dint of loving the drink as much as he does while listening to his slurred b~*~#ing about his wretched luck.
Night (Siera and Rorgrim): Tonight the game is a rather nasty but mildly entertaining one. Tonight is a shove fight between two sailors on top of two pig greased barrels. The winner is the one who remains standing. Of course because this is a boat full of drunken jerks so while this shove match is going on objects are being tossed at the sailors.
Rorgrim finishes off his rum ration for the night.
Give me a turn on th' ole barrels! None of ye Sea Dawgs will be able to topple me. I am a dwarf an' the sturdiest around!
Rhialla goes about her duties as normal, taking the opportunity to see if she can find herself a more suitable weapon, when she is unobserved.
As the sun sets and night falls,she takes to the deck seeking an interesting and possibly like-minded spirt to bond with.
@Rhialla:
Rhialla has trouble making friends. Her earlier act with the birthmark is still not forgotten and it probably does not help that the crew is more or less concerned with watching grown men and women try to break each other's spines by pushing them from tall barrels.
The pirates laugh at Rorgrim's enthusiasm before one calls out. "Let's see a lady be gettin up there!"
This idea is met with some enthusiasm as Siera is encouraged to get up on the barrels.
Rorgrim pushes Siera forward. Careful with this one mateys...she be a live one!
To Siera: Knock em off their land legs darlin!
@Rhialla:
Rhialla has trouble making friends. Her earlier act with the birthmark is still not forgotten and it probably does not help that the crew is more or less concerned with watching grown men and women try to break each other's spines by pushing them from tall barrels.
The pirates laugh at Rorgrim's enthusiasm before one calls out. "Let's see a lady be gettin up there!"
This idea is met with some enthusiasm as Siera is encouraged to get up on the barrels.
Siera smiles wickedly, walking to the barrel.
Ya see a lady round these parts, Rorgrim? The only one I see is this pretty lass in front of me. Gonna make ya my b!@%%, pretty boy! What do I get when I knock you senseless?
The fat man across from you spits into his hands and rubs them together making them perhaps slightly cleaner than before. "Aye lots 'o talk from an overmuscled screeching harpy but ye ain't hoidin behind yer dwarf and yer bloody crazy witch man are ye now lass!?!"
You recognize the man as one Fipps Chumlett who along with some of his friends accosted you the second day aboard. He grins widely and takes a good wide and low stance.
Fipps Initiative
Siera Initiative
Quickly fipps tries to use his superior weight against you pushing forward before you even get a chance to get properly balanced.
CMB to Bullrush
As she sees the fat man approaching, Siera smiles wickedly.
Arms wide open, all his strength forward.
Dumb fat f#@*er.
Distributing her weight evenly, she hangs low and uses her attacker's momentum against him, dodging one of his hands and pulling the other.
Rising from below decks after stowing the cookbook in his locker. Mumbata gives a dark chuckle seeing Siera balanced atop the barrel. Dis should be ah surt da see Mumbata thinks to himself, shouldering his way through the crowd. Digging into his pouch he withdraws his 10 silvers and slaps them on the deck. Tun on da gurl. Mumbata rumbles, crossing his meaty arms and sliding up next to Rorgrim. During a moment in the lull, Mumbata leans in towards Rorgrim and whispers. Ah fund ah book ah tunk ja mut be intereursed in. Ut be ah bout cooking. Mut be hulpful in da galley, jah?
Rorgrim leans in Aye...it'd be helpful indeed. Thank you friend.and slaps Mumbata on the back.
Turning towards the barrels Rorgrim lets out a hardy chuckle. Throw his sorry arse on th' deck Siera!
With a deft maneuver Siera manages to pull the fat and stout Tibbs forward and through toppling him easily to the floor. He curses and spits blood as he gets back up obviously not happy with the outcome.
Just as Siera celebrates her victory a hush falls over the crowd once more while Tibbs crawls away to lick his wounded pride. Cursing can be heard on the other side of the barrel as the halfling Rosie Cuswell climbs her way atop the barrel with some difficulty.
With a wide smile she gets into a stance.
"I hope ye be ready fer the beatin of yer life!"
With this there is no small amount of laughter from the crew at the tiny woman facing up to the scary looking Siera.
Rorgrim leans back his head, grabs his belly, and breaks into a hardy chuckle. Ah...Siera...It be lookin like a half pint wantin a turn with ya on th' barrels! Har har har!