Sandman nods and smiles to Sandara. "Talk to them when we're done here. Bad idea for all of us to be seen conspiring. Glad you're all aboard."
"I think Plugg will be in for a surprise. I'm almost certain we aren't going to make it to Bloodcove."
"Anything important to you, keep with you. Whatever is going to happen, its going to happen soon and fast, and there might not be time to retrieve your things when it does."
"If we stick together like real shipmates should, then yes, I do believe we can. The first morning we were brought on board, Lucanorr, Vaelor, Allende and I had roughed up five or six of them unarmed. We're rougher around the edges now and armed this time. I won't say it'll be easy but it will happen."
"I'll talk to Mr Kroop in the morning and see if he has any other ideas. Allie, I think you're right about sabotaging being too risky. Can we think of any other way to get them in trouble? And Amamer, how many days do you think we have before we reach Blood Cove?" Ashrem grins at Sandman, "You're right as well. Plugg will be surprised, I'll make sure to keep myself properly attired."
Amamer shakes her head.
"To be honest, I don't know exactly where we are. The Fever Sea is a big pond, so I can't say how long it'll take us to get anywhere. A day? A week?" she sighs, disappointed that she couldn't say more.
"We just need to look out for each other. Don't let them get us alone, like what they tried with Amy and the bilges. Also, we need to try not to get punished. Plugg's already decided that the smallest infractions deserve a beating with the cat o' nine tails. He's just looking for a reason to keel-haul one of us."
The next dawn reveals a clear blue sky. the wind drops so the ship barely makes any head way. You are all again assigned the the same tasks as the day before. Jaundice Jape is too sick with fever to leave his bunk. "Fishguts" Kroop is sober when you go to the galley to talk with him. He greets you with a big grin and offers you a tot of rum. "It's good to see you maties. What can ol' Fishguts do for ya?"
"It's Plugg and Scourge. We think they're up to something. We think they're going to take the ship for themselves, and arrange a few accidents for those who aren't agreeable to it."
She gives the old cook a watery-eyed stare.
Ashrem goes to check on Jape in the morning. Frowning, he shakes his head. "I'm doing the best I can but I'm going to need better supplies. If there's another port closer than Port Peril, we should stop and see what they have. If not, his chances may not be too good."
Ashrem follows Allie into the galley. He accepts the rum with a grin. "That's the gist of it. We came down here to see if there is any experience you have to offer on how to deal with the situation."
"Yer right, Plugg has definately decided to keep this ship. I knew that as soon as we changed course. If I had to guess I'd say we are headed for a spot on the Slithering coast called Rickety's Squibs. There is this old Salt there that fit ships out as "Squibs" so the old owners won't recognise them." The fat cook explains. "How do you think the Wormwood ended up with that hideous dragon head on her prow."
"Yer also right that Plugg will want to get rid of anyone that isn't solidly his before he pulls into port looking for hands. We should reach Rickety's Squibs day after tomorrow. What are ye thinking to do?" Kroop asks with a sly smile. He takes a pull of rum and stares across the big kitchen table at you.
"I'm thinking that this is no longer his ship to command. We don't have as much time as I thought so we'll need to strike soon. Maybe even tonight." Ashrem replies, his grin turning sly as well.
"But there's as many of them as us, and too many who are playing it safe who'll side with Plugg just to avoid the chance of being keel-hauled," Allie replies.
"What's your plan to take them out of the fight?" she asks, curiousity piqued.
"Amamer means beloved of the sea," Amamer says softly to Allie. "Amy is the name we give to a fungus that grows on men's parts after they lay with unclean women. It is not a pleasant thing to be called."
"As for Plugg's allies, I should be able to help. You recall the reefclaws? If we can get several of our enemies in a close group...."
"Amy means...crotch-rot?!...ohhh...I am soooo sorrryy! Who'dve thought two words that sound so much a like could have meanings that different. I won't call you that again. Promise." Allie replies, blushing.
She then breaks into a mischievous smile. "Don't worry. I think up a really good nickname for you."
She winks at the other woman.
"Well considerin that I am on the list of crew "Mr." Plugg can't rely on." Kroop says "I don't have much choice but to side with you all. You all make yer plans, and let me know what part you want me to play."
"Well, what do you think you'd be able to do? Ashrem asks, glad to hear that his friend wouldn't be backing down from the fight. "Maybe find a way to poison their meals or make them sick somehow… Also I think we should strike tonight while most of them are asleep. Kroop, do you think you'd be able to set Owlbear free from his chain? He could be a big help. Other than that, we stick close together and take them all out."
"If Kroop puts something in the kettle, we just need to be sure to be in the back of the line, or if we're all in the front of the line, I can slip something into it while getting my bowl. All I need is the mickey," Allie says, again, sounding uncharacteristically competent.
She abruptly changes tack, and looks to Amamer. "For your pretty rainbow spell that makes people pass-out, ou said you need them all close together, like if all of those bullies were beating up on one of us?"
As the silence stretches to the point of awkwardness, Allie chimes in again.
"So, if we're gonna do this tonight, what's the plan? How do we get it going?"
"Drug or poison their last meal. Slip into their quarters while they sleep and slit as many throats as we can until they wake up?" Ashrem offers. "Not much honor in that, though. So, if you disagree I'm open to other suggestions."
"I doubt they're planning an honorable death for us...Given the choice between living on the edge or dying with integrity, it's an easy decision for me!'
"Yes, it only reaches about this far," she says, pointing out a fifteen foot cone. "I can only do it a few times, so I'd plan on using it when they're grouped together. As for honor, I've nothing against it, if we faced an honorable foe, but these kims sent two armed men into the bilges to murder me, when I've done nothing to cause them any offense."
"Sooooooooo....do we have any drugs or poison? I mean...if we don't, this plan is over before it's started."
"I have collected a small amount of spider venom but I don't think it's enough to poison a meal. Kroop, do you have anything hidden away?"
"Almost anything can be made into poison." Sandman says with a shrug. "Poison is easy to make, especially the ingested kind. The entire art of cooking is about preparing things in a way that isn't harmful. Screwing that up can make a person very sick by accident. Doing it on purpose is laughably easy. Every fish we catch and clean has at least three organs that are full of things that will kill a person. The kitchen is full of things that are toxic int he right mixtures and dosages. Give me an hour in the larders and I'm sure I can make something appropriately terrible."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, and you and Ashrem can do that trick to our food where it doesn't taste all nasty, and that'll keep us from getting sick too, right?"
"Hmm. I'm not sure that trick is powerful enough to get rid of actual poison. It would probably be best if we just eat something else."
"It won't get rid of any actual poison, but if we're just giving out spoiled food it should work just fine."
"Technically the toxins I would be making would really just be spoiled food. That's all dysentery really is. That would work. We jut won't add the spider venom."