Allende pulls him up and claps him on the back. "Of course, we're friends. And this here is Ashrem. And over there is Vaelor." He introduces Owlbear to his pirate allies.
Ashrem offers his hand to the giant man. "That was a d@mn good bout with me and you put up a good fight with Allende. You truly are a fearsome opponent. I'm honored to call you a friend though."
Alright you worthless swabs!Plugg snarls as he stomps out into the ring and hooks a chain to the collar around Owlbears neck. You had your fun now get off my bloody deck. Jape! Lonegan!Drag this half-wit back to his post.
Owlbear smiles at you as he is lead away. Plugg stands glaring about him until the crew starts heading bellow to their hammocks.
The rest of the night passes uneventfully. You awake to dark overcast skies and heavy driving rain, but the wind if fairly mild and the sea isn't rough.
Ashrem Fishguts Kroop is completely hammered this morning. Special Occasion: Captain Harrigan is celebrating something today, and wants one of the ship’s pigs butchered and cooked for dinner. The PC must make a DC 10 Profession (cook) or Survival check to slaughter the animal, then help Kroop to clean, cut, and prepare the carcass. If Kroop is sober, no additional check is required. If Kroop is drunk, this requires a DC 15 Profession (cook) or Intelligence check.
Allende Swab the Decks: Backbreaking work mopping the decks and scrubbing them with sandstone blocks called holystones, requiring a DC 10 Strength or Constitution check. Failing either check results in the PC being fatigued at the end of the shift.
Vaelor Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering the mainsail, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
Allende groans. This was one part of ship work he knew was necessary but hated doing. He works diligently at the task, knowing that Plugg is just waiting for him to mess up.
The dark sky overhead seemed to be the harbinger for the day's chores. Nothing seemed to be going right in the ship's galley. Kroop showed up late and completely obliterated by alcohol and the Captain wanted a pig slaughtered and cooked for some special occasion for which Ashrem had no idea how to properly prepare the meal. He couldn't even find the cook book that had assisted him with making meals before. Ashrem gritted his teeth in frustration but refused to take his anger out on the drunk man though it was quite tempting at the time. He did the best he could with what he had. Maybe if I get everyone drunk on rum before dinner, no one will notice… Ashrem thought to himself.
Allende - You finish your watch soaked to the skin from the rain but you aren't completely exhausted.
Ashrem - Dinner is a disaster. The food turns out barely edible, and were it not for the many friends you have made among the crew things might have gotten ugly. As it is there is a lot of grumbling. Plugg informs you and Kroop that the Captain was not pleased and if another meal like that is serve you will bolth get the lash.
Allende comes in to supper famished and although he hides it well is deeply disappointed in the meal.
Nevertheless he tries to steer the conversation at the table away from disparaging comments about the food and onto other topics.
During the evening he tries to influence Ratline into joining their group
Shortly after dinner Ashrem returns to the galley to talk to Kroop, trying to figure out why the man drinks so much and how he could assist the head chef into getting better.
If so…
Later that night, he takes a walk along the deck and taking in the night breeze. He runs into Tilly Bracket and stops to talk to her for a bit. After a somewhat longer conversation than he had expected to have with the girl Ashrem then retreats to the hold below to sleep off today's ill fortune.
Allende: You manage to convince the rest of the crew that you weren't bothered by how bad the food was. combined with your defeat of Owlbear the night before you are beginning to gain a reputation of being a hard man. Your efforts to steer the conversation away from the bad food may be responsible for saving Kroop and Ashrem a beating. Ratline is eager to join your growing group.
Ashrem: You are able to sober Kroop up a bit and get him to open upto you. He explains how he bet his life in a card game against Captain Harrigan and lost. Harrigan owns him and as much as he hates the Wormwood he can never escape her. He tells you jokingly that if you want to help him you will have to kill the captain.
You conversation with Tilly Bracket goes well and she is even able to forgive you for the terrible dinner.
Day Seven
The night passes uneventfully but with the morning the wind starts getting stronger, and the sea gets rougher. Black clouds are gathering over head. By the end of the day it has become a full blown Gale.
Allende Repairs: Things constantly tear or break aboard the ship and need repairs, whether sewing sails or splicing rope all day, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
Ashrem Fishguts is drunk again Cooking: Assisting Ambrose Kroop in preparing the day’s meal. If Kroop is sober, no check is required. If Kroop is drunk, this requires a DC 10 Profession (cook) or Intelligence check.
Vaelor Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering the mainsail, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
Vaelor works diligently in the rigging during the storm . He successfully carries out his tasks and returns to the deck safely despite the storm.
This was more like it, Allende thinks. It was what he was good at. He casually talks to Shaivikah while he works.
Ashrem looks up at the sky, trying to gauge whether the storm will pass over or hit them full force but even the clouds seem uncertain of what it is they want to do. He sighs and returns to the galley to prepare the day's meals, hoping for the best.
The sea is rough, and Ashrem moves about securing the knives and sharp utensils before someone gets hurt. He manages to find Kroop's cook book and Kroop halfway through his second bottle of rum. Sighing again at things he can't control he sets about cooking.
The meal actually turns out to be decent. Not quite lavish but after yesterday's incident Ashrem was quite satisfied. During the meal break he talks to Jack about the weather and other topics, trying to get the man to open up and join the gang.
Allende: Shaivkah resists talking to you while you work but eventual she warms up to you enough to converse while you work.
Ashrem: Jack becomes a little more friendly towards you during your conversation but is still a bit withdrawn.
The wind and rain gradually worsen all day. By mid afternoon the sky is black as at midnight. At sunset the captain orders all hands on deck to battle the storm.
Allende Rigging Repair: The ship’s rigging frequently gets damaged and must be repaired, requiring DC 12 Climb checks to reach the rigging 30 feet up, followed by a DC 12 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
Ashrem Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering the mainsail, requiring a DC 12 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 12 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
Vaelor Rope Work: Handling the ship’s ropes, including coiling them, stowing them, and securing them to cleats and single and double bollards, requiring a DC 12 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
Allende stows his armor downstairs, it would just get in the way in the wind and rain. For the first time in several weeks he finds himself working alongside Ashrem and Vaelor as they battle the storm. "This is a nasty bit of weather." he calls out as he works.
Ashrem works hard taking care of the mainsail during the storm. He didn't have much of an understanding of what he was doing but quickly obeyed any orders given to him.
He wasn't used to this kind of hard labor though and by the end of the night he was especially worn out.
"It is certainly unpleasant, Allende. It's been a long while since I've seen weather this wicked looking."
Dawn comes and the storm rages on. The ship has turned to run with the storm. The wind shrieks in the rigging like the damned in hell. Time and time again waves crash over the bow of the ship threatening to swamp and sink her. The sky is shrouded in inky clouds and only the periodic flashes of lightening enable you to do your work.
Shortly after dawn you find yourselves working a the starboard rail with Jack Scrimshaw. A tremendous wave crashes over the bows and runs down the length of the ship. For a few moments you are underwater. The water rips at you trying to pull you from the ship. It is all you can do to hold on. Then the wave is past your safe but Jack is gone.
Allende replies to Ashrem. "Me either. And the last time I did it was with a professional crew and a much bigger ship."
He completely misses seeing the ship.
As Jack gets swept away, Allende gives a yell "MAN OVERBOARD' and rushes to the bulwark and scans the waves.
"THERE HE IS!" he points and looks around for a rope to toss the unlucky sailer.
"Allende, there's a ship on fire to the port side!" Ashrem manages to yell out after sputtering and coughing out water. As Allende shouts the man overboard, he grabs the ship's main line and ties it around his waist. He then grabs a shorter line of rope, ties it around a buoy, and ties it around his wrist.
"Rosie, Allende, Ratline, Sandara!! Grab the end I'm going after him!"
Ashrem waits just long enough to see the others running towards the rope before he takes a running leap off of the ship in the direction Allende pointed. He crashes into the waves and gets hurled around under water for nearly half a minute before surfacing and treading water slowly towards Jack. Luckily he catches a swelling wave and is swept closer.
Ashrem catches a quick glimpse of Jack nearby and swims as hard as he can out to him. Reaching him, he wraps the rope and buoy around him and grabs him tight.
"I got you," he tells Jack before turning back to the ship and yelling "Allende, PULL!!"
Allende braces and pulls as hard as he can, grunting with exertion as he tries to haul his waterlogged friends back onto the ship.
Consider me half drowned then…
By the time Allende and the other crew members manage to drag Ashrem and Jack from the water they are exhausted, half-drown, and chilled to the bone.
Ashrem DC 15 fortitude check to avoid getting sick
Allende DC10 heal check to give Ashrem a +3 on his fortitude check
Ashrem you are exhausted for the next day but Jack Scrimshaw is now friendly toward you. devoted might be a better term. He is gonna follow you around like a little puppy dog.
Sprawled out on the deck exhausted, Ashrem still manages to laugh heartedly before curling up coughing intensely.
Allende rushes to Ahrem's side. He had never really had much medical training and he struggled to remember what should be done for him.
he barely remembers that he needs to be kept warm and gives him some strong drink to act as an expectorant so that the mucous doesn't build up in his lungs.
With Ashrem and Jack saved there is still a storm raging. Ashrem and Jack are taken bellow by Fishguts to rest. Allende you have to return to your work with the rest of the crew.
After a few hours of rest Ashrem and Jack are sent back to work as well.
Allende continues to work diligently at his task. Although he is distracted by worry about how the rest of the crew is fairing.
Ashrem works hard with Allende to make sure the rigging stays in good condition. He's worn ragged but focused on the task at hand and eagerly awaits for the storm to finally wear itself out so that he can get some rest.
Allende is annoyed that Plugg has sent Ashrem and Jack back to work. In his opinion they should be resting. Never the less, he is happy for the help. "That was one of the bravest acts I think I have ever witnessed." he tells Ashrem.
You continue to battle the storm through the night. Around dawn the next day the storm begins die down it's fury spent. The sea is still rough and the wind still strong but the slashing rain is gone. The clouds aren't as dark and threatening.
"Maybe… I'd like to think someone would do the same for me, but I don't expect anyone on this ship to do so. My father had been on a ship that sank during a storm like this. That's how I ended up in Port Peril to begin with. I heard there was a survivor off the ship and wanted to know what exactly happened and whether or not my father could have survived too."
Ashrem becomes sullen and quiet afterwards, focusing on his work until he remembers seeing the other ship in flames.
"Did anyone tell the captain about the other ship?" he asks, "We should go look for survivors." he states quite firmly.
I may not have been able to save my father during the storm but I can do my best to keep the same tragedy from happening to someone else.
"I don't think our so called captain cares about the other ship. Wait, he'd probably be interested in press ganging any survivors into work. That's the tack I'd take in talking to him, but surely he knows.
Ashrem grimaces at the thought of that and he feels sorry for any survivors that they may manage to find. Damned if we find them, damned if we don't…
The storm begins dying down and Ashrem watches in relief as the sun begins to rise over the horizon. "Finally the storm comes to an end. I'm going to have to have you teach me a few things about sailing in case we end up in another storm." he tells Allende.
Ashrem casts a look around the sea, trying to find any wreckage of the other ship.
.
With the worst of the storm over the all the crew is sent back to their regular duties. The storm fades over the course od the day. The wind dies down and the waves settle back into a steady roll.
Allende Rat Catcher: Catching rats and other vermin belowdecks, requiring either a DC 10 Stealth check, Survival check, or Dexterity check to catch and kill enough rats, cockroaches, and beetles for a good day’s work.
Ashrem Having nothing to do the day before but drink bellow decks Fishguts is asleep in the galley Bull Session: Drinking with Ambrose Kroop and listening to his stories. The cook’s mate must drink an additional rum ration, but is able to take an additional ship action during the day.
Vaelor Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering the mainsail, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
Late in the afternoon the lookout calls down "wreckage off the Starboard bow." a few moments latter he calls out again "man overboard!
Everyone rushs to the railing to see what they have found. What you see is a crude raft built out of roped together wreckage. On the raft are four people.
"L-l-looks like...we're-r about -t-to-t-trade w-one piece of r-wreckage f-for...another..." Allie manages to splutter out through chattering teeth, as she clings to what's left of the slave ship. She nods curtly in the direction of the Wormwood.
Allende takes to the task diligently. It's not his favorite job, but it was necessary to keep the ship in good shape.
When he hears the 'Man Overboard' call he rushes to the bulwark and tosses a rope. Twice in twenty four hours, I'm fishing for sailors he thinks.
maybe best to keep my last name to myself
let's hope these are not slavers! but hey anything is better then the ocean.
Connor begins to wave his arms up and down.
The big swarthy skinned man covered in scars smiled. Any ship that was floating was a good ship. From the looks of things the crew might not be, but he'd seen far worse. In any case, the sea would provide all he needed. It always did.
"It will be alright little Cat." he said with a deep voice and a lilting accent. "It is better than what we came from. From this we can work to make of it what we want. We need only endure."
He reaches out for the thrown line and begins to haul their little craft toward the larger vessel with strong, steady pulls.
Allie hangs on tighter as the wreckage lurches towards the ship.
"I d-dun-oh...I h-have a b-bad f-feel-ing ab-bout t-this..." she stutters as cold seawater rushes over her neck and shoulders.
"Stay close then. I will let no harm come to you while I still breathe."
Ashrem was enjoying his day of relative leisure in the galley. He spends a bit of time in the morning helping out Conchabar. Ashrem apologizes for his rudeness a few days ago and attempts to make ammends. Hoping that he made an improvement in the gnome's attitude, Ashrem then returns below deck to listen to more of Kroop's stories and have a drink or two. Later, and felling a little tipsy, he rushes to the top deck at the call for man-overboard. Seeing the four survivors clinging to the wreckage, he smiles, glad that he doesn't have to jump overboard to save someone again.
"I'll take it," Amamer says, to Allie's bad feeling.
The Wormwood might not be the prettiest ship on the seas, but she weathered the storm. She couldn't imagine it would be worse than clinging to a bit of wreckage floating in the middle of the Fever Sea. As long as they weren't more slavers.
As their debris was pulled up against the ship's side, she gazes up at the faces of her rescuers. Pirates! As she was meant for. She grinned and caught hold of the rope, slowly pulling herself up.
Look what we did, to the last group of people who messed with us, we stick together and we got nothing to worry about.
I hope to the gods that nobody knows me or recognizes me and my last name, I may get thrown overboard or worse...