"Fishook more or less has it. Some thin lizard men, about my height, chased the boy out of the forest. They didn't like the look of Fishook here, or Bilson's crossbow, so they legged it. I don't know what they were but this was in the middle of the village so I don't think it bodes well for the lad's family." Boy didn't speak a word. I didn't press. Figure he knows better than us what happened. He'll talk once he gets some food in him.
"Speaking of which.....Ah fish gruel.....again."
Very brave of you to bring the boy back rather than risk his life in a rescue attempt. Very....brave.
"I suspect the lad was more concerned about the creatures coming after him than interrupting our work, Fishhook. If he had been interested in the latter, I suspect he could have come up with far more effective ways of doing so. At least that has been my experience with little boys; they are almost more dangerous than armed men when they want to be." Toe Jam eats quietly as Swiftwing takes out her inability to comment on Fishhook on the other sailors at the table, who by this time have learned to ignore her, although some deliberately bait her just to have some entertainment on an otherwise boring trip.
"Small lizard men? I knew it! Croc-folk! You must have encountered their young playing with the child. Did they have sharp teeth and claws? They probably swam here from another island and ate the villagers. Just like a kitten in a mouse, poor kid." Grimb starts saying mostly to himself.
Then he stands up bumping the table a little. "We better double the watch! Those croc-folk could be swimming up to our ship right now. I heard they grab a man and drag him under and pin him deep in the water by some log or rock. Just let's you drown down there and then soften up for him to eat later."
"Sit down Grimb, before you attract the attention of the whole bleeming swarm of them." Mack says grabbing the other sailor's arm.
"Do the Lizards only eat man flesh or other? Fishhook got in mood for that stew so Fishhook needs to know what bait to set up so Fishhook could catch Lizards." Fishhook asks Grimb since he seems to be the expert on these Lizards.
Grimb pushes Mack's hand off and turns to Fishhook. "Want to catch them, huh? That's a good idea, get them before they get us. So what do they like? Hmmm" Grimb stands up and begins pacing back and forth. "My old gramps used to say that the Croc-Folk loved rotted meat, you could catch them with an iron hook with a slab of two week old meat." Grimb scratches his head, "Now where could we get some old meat? ... Of course most people thought gramps was crazy by the time he told me about the Croc-Folk. I guess he was right the whole time."
Toe Jam perks up at the mention of eating. "I wonder if they require salt and pepper or if they have enough flavor without adding any seasoning." Swiftwing just groans.
Fishhook gives a confused look, "Where do Fishhook get this meat? Do lost card men have any?" He asks the two gamblers hehe.
Grimb starts rubbing his hands. "Right, where to get some meat from." He then starts rubbing his head. "Ok, I might have an idea."
Mack stands up, "I think I'll leave now before I hear more than I want, good night all." He then heads to his bunk.
Grimb waves in Mack's direction as he leaves, "Forget about him. Ok, maybe there is still some of that giant squid in the galley, it is probably getting pretty foul by now." Grimb then leans in close to the others, "What we need is someone to make a distraction and then for someone else to sneak into the galley."
"Fishhook no need to sneak, Fishhook just get the meat. Why wouldn't cook give Fishhook meat? No sneaky sneak." Fishhook questions his two mates.
"Grimb may be right, the less people know about our fishing expedition, the less people likely to panic. How about you and I find some way to keep the cook busy while our sneaky little friend sneaks in and secures some meat?" For once, Swiftwing goes to say something, than snaps her mouth shut as she realizes Toe Jam just said something legitimately smart.
"You know Fishhook is probably right. With new supplies coming in the cook will likely be happy to get rid of the gamy meat. How about I go and ask? I'll say I want to go fishing. If it works I'll get Fishhook here to lend me a hand and you can meet us on deck. If it doesn't work then we can try plan B with nothing to alert cook to what you will try."
and you will be well out of it when it all goes wrong. Foolish Loser, will you never learn?
Grimb sits down again. "Well we don't want to ask for it and then take it later, Cookie is sure to know it was us or rather you." He says looking at Zochel meaningfully. Scratching his head a little. "Maybe you should ask him if there is anything he wants to get rid of."
"Sure, be glad to. Meet you on deck in say five minutes? Fishhook, come with me? There might be a bit to carry."
The Loser wanders off to the galley and finds the cook.
"Hello, Fishook and I are between jobs at the moment and we were thinking of tossing out some lines to see what we can catch. Do you have anything we could use for bait? Some of the crew said they saw a couple of fins out there so we are hoping for reef sharks. They cook up real nice, but they take meat for bait preferably old meat. Whatdaya say?'
Fishhook follows Zochel, and when they come across the galley he comments as well,"Fishhook Fishes! Fishook only needs old meat, squid from first night works!"
"Old meat? Squid? ... Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you use some. I was planning on boiling it all day tomorrow and making my famous Longhaul Stew." Hamfist the cook hobbles over to a barrel and pries it open, a briney smell fills the air as Hamfist reaches in with his hook and drags out a slightly pickled tentacle. Taking a meat cleaver, he hacks off a sizable chunk. "There you go. See how the critters like that." He then drops the rest of the tentacle back into the barrel, "And we'll save that for tomorrows dinner."
Fishhook takes the chunk of squid and says to the cook, "Fishhook thanks stew cooker! Fishhook maybe able to get lizards for Lizard stew, mmmm mmmm yummy." He gingerly skips out of the mess hall with the meat excited he gets to fish, and rushes to the quatermaster to get his fishing gear.
Toe Jam is standing by to heal any wounds Fishhook might incur or inflict in his exuberance.
"Thank you kindly. Wish us luck!"
Zochel returns to the common area. "Com'on Gimb. Time for fishing!"
Oh this will end well....
Hamfist watches the others rush off towards the quartermaster while murmuring, "I thought they were going to catch sharks not lizards." Shaking his head he sighs, "Maybe the poor fool doesn't know the difference."
The quartermaster is not entirely please to be bothered about getting Fishhook's fishing gear at this hour of day. "Take your stuff and leave me be, it has been a long day what with inventory all the stuff your groups brought back. And try not to drip any of that rotting crud. Gods what is that smell? It smells like pickled ... I don't even know what."
Grimb comes along with a net he got from somewhere. "Now all we have to is coax the tricky bastards in and up in the net they go. Ha! My old grandpappy would be proud."
Feeling bored, Swiftwing offers to fly around the ship and find the most likely spot for success as the others prepare.
Fishhook will go to the edge of the and ponder what the best method to catching these creatures.
He breathes in the salty air, and lets his training guide him to the best method of catching lizards.
Grimb comes along with a net he got from somewhere. "Now all we have to is coax the tricky bastards in and up in the net they go. Ha! My old grandpappy would be proud."
Zochel lights a pipe as he watches the others work. "So your grandpappy was a fisherman?"
Watching others work, a loser in his natural habitat.
"Fisherman? Yeah, I guess you could call him that. At least that is what he did when he was younger. In his last few years, he spent his time trying to catch one of these Crocs. Nobody believed him. We all thought he was a little loose in the upstairs area." Grimb explains as he follows Fishhook to the edge and holding the net ready.
Fishhook finds an area that looks good. If Grimb's grandpappy was right he should be able to catch one with a bit of the pickled tentacle on a hook. Though a bit of chumming might be useful as well.
Swiftwing flies overhead spying out the area. The bird notices a school of fish swimming around the area where the anchor is located. Nothing else of interest is noticed.
Swiftwing will inform Fishhook of her find, getting curious to see how long it takes for this to go bad.
Fishhook puts the bait on the line and readies his longspear and his nets just in case the hook has trouble.
Fishhook will cast out the meat and began to play the waiting game....
Zochel reclines on a coil or rope half near where Fishhook is waiting.
"It's a nice day" he thinks. "Strange those beasts didn't look very aquatic, but maybe we can catch something tasty at least."
Zochel muses in the sun. Slowley drifting off to sleep visions of fillet of shark with lemon and mint dancing in his head.
His last thoughts are with the kid. He wonders what happened to him and what else awaits them on the island.
A few hours go by, with only sea birds and Zochel's snoring to be heard. Grimb is playing a game of solitary, but can't seem to ever win (maybe a card is still missing from the deck).
Swiftwing notices that the school of fish has vanished. Then she sees a dark shadow pass under the ship.
The fishing line moves a little as if something had bumped it.
Fishhook stares at the big dark shadow that swiftwing tells him about and tries to get a good idea what kind of sea creature it is.
And will try to swirl it around to seem more enticing to the bigger creature. And puts his finger up to keep the group silence
All of a sudden the line jerks as something bites onto the lure.
Opposed Str check for Fishhook as the creature pulls the line.
Creature's Strength check:
Fishhook pulls with all his strength,"Fishhook got somesomthing!"
[ooc]Str check:
"zzSngha What!" The loser looks around blinking in the sunlight.
Seeing Fishhook may actually have caught something Zochel grabs for the line to lend his strength to landing the beast, or at least appear to be lending his strength.
"Come on everyone, grab the rope!"
the sound of laughter
Toe Jam will try his luck in helping, seeing no point in being an idle bystander when Swiftwing is already committed to this, albeit of dubious reasons, and tries to grab a bare spot, using his size as leverage in doing so.
A strong pull from the line almost yanks the line out of Fishhook's hands. Luckily his incredible orc strength allows him to maintain his hold.
Zochel tries to help, but only ends up smashing his fingers between the line and the edge of the ship.
Toe Jam quickly grabs Fishhooks waist and is able to help stabilize the orc.
Suddenly the creature on the other end surfaces for a moment, a reef shark. Sadly, no croc-folk. The shark appears angry and continues pulling on the line, moving under the ship.
"Pull it out from under the ship and I'll get my net on it. It ain't gators, but that fishy will taste good enough." Grimb says as he hops along the edge with his net.
Toe Jam will continue to try to help pull it in.
"Geah! Ow Ow Ow!"
Zochel releases the line as it smashes him into the gunwale. Looking about he notices the long trailing line of the rope, and the mast.
Uh oh the loser has an idea.
Grabbing the rope Zochel ties it around his waist and walks hurredly around the mainmast and back to the straining group. He then climbs up the gunwale and over the side of the ship. The rope stops his decent a clear 20 feet from the waves and Zochel is left standing comfortably on the hull. His weight adds considerable pull to the rope and he does not have to lift a finger.
"All in all a good plan well excuted" Zochel thinks to himself as he gets comortable in the rope harness. "You don't need to do as much work if you understand phyics like I do."
Yes Zochel you are an equal and opposite loser.
Fishhook looks around to make sure no more sharks are coming in for his bait, seeing none Fishhook tries to direct the shark to the net postion, "Know if net no work then Fishhook's spear there!"
The shark is able to keep from being pulled out from under the boat.
Grimb tries to help pull, but his sweaty hands slip off. Even the counterbalance from the halfling isn't enough to pull it out.
The rear of the shark occasional can be seen poking out as it tries to pull the line farther into the water.
Toe Jam continues to hold firm as the shark struggles.
Fishhook helps the goblin to pull it in!
Zochel spins uncomfortably at the end of his rope wondering if this really as good an idea as it seemed.
Zochel spins uncomfortably at the end of his rope wondering if this really as good an idea as it seemed.
The Loser's foot slips and he swings into the hull with a loud
A couple of other crew members having watched the efforts of the group decide to give a hand.
They are able to pull the shark out and toss a net catching it and start trying to pull it on board.
"It's too strong and jerking around, we need to kill it before we can get it on board. We got it for the moment, maybe you can kill it?" One of the burly crewmen says looking at the group while straining on the net's ropes.
Meanwhile Zochel hanging off the side, sees another dark shadow moving past in the water below.
"If there is a javelin about, I could try. Or better yet, something that Swiftwing could carry out and drop on it."
With that call Fishhook grabs his longspear and stabs at the beast.
"Fishhook kill good!"
As the shark is pulled close and closer to the boat Zochel slides closer and closer to the waves. . Somehow he scrabbles a purchase on the slick hull and holds on for dear life.
His reedy voice comes up from nearly sea level.
"Hey guys, the Halfling is not bait!"
Don't be so sure dear Zochel. Don't be so sure..
Swiftwing replies quickly, "You were the one who jumped over the edge. Don't blame someone else."
"Is this really the time to assign blame? Help me up!
Is it ever time for blame my Loser?
Sorry to see you go ST. This was a strange trip.
If you are up to it I would be more than happy to move this game to a monthly or even every two months or so basis.
This is a rather low-key slow-placed game and this is one of the reasons I enjoy it. But if it needs to end then so be it.
I hope you all are well and have a great season.
We end as we begin, in solitude and silence. Farewell my loser, farewell.