"Aye...git me plenty of greens...the mackrel off the mist island are green in color...taste like shyte unless y' get the large ones. Now, Anchor Bay has real large green mussels them be fine with budder and garlic." She offers.
The bard nods to Hawkins as he approaches, but she turns down his offer of rum. "Rum will be later... can't get all knackered before my performance. ...What kind of modifications?"
Astrianna's eyebrows slowly raise as Malta warns them of the dangers of the Razor. She ends up shrugging, sitting up from her laid-back position. "Bit late for a warning, unfortunately. Everyone but the Bladedancer is signed on as crew until we get to the Razor. The Captain made the deal far, far too good to turn it down..."
The half-elf sits up and stretches, still having to look up at the massive warrior. "It sounds like you left enough adventure for us when you left, at least."
Another sailor bring up a skin of rum for the First Mate, who promptly refills his tankard. He smacks his lips and then continues, "The Razor Coast is named for the dangerous shoals and reefs dotting the Razor Sea. They cut down vessels like a scythe to wheat and have claimed thousands of ships over the centuries. Remind me t'tell you the other nickname when our feet are planted on land....bad juju to say it while at sea." He drinks form his tankard.
He simply smiles at the singer.
Astrianna begins to pace about the deck, hands on her hips and looking at the deck. I was about to ask you wy it was called the Razor- thanks. I take it the Captain never had any trouble with the reefs?"
The mention of juju piques her interest, and she looks up curiously at th eman. "What's the Razor called in your native tongue, and what does it mean? Or is that unlucky as well?"
Embrianna will accept the offered rum from Dirk. "I don't have sing, so I don't mind getting knackered tonight."
"Aye...git me plenty of greens...the mackrel off the mist island are green in color...taste like shyte unless y' get the large ones. Now, Anchor Bay has real large green mussels them be fine with budder and garlic." She offers.
David looks at the woman thoughtfully.
”Right – well, I mean greens like what I said – you know, chili peppers, red peppers are good too… How about fruit? You know, kiwi, guava, that sort of thing?” he adds, curiously.
He puts his finger over his mouth to indicate he will not speak of it while at sea.
"The Razor Coast is a land of promise and danger. Balmy weather throughout the year ensures plentiful crops, and the lush green of the coast grows unchecked during the lengthy wet season. the sun kisses the flesh bringing out deep tones like you see on me." He drinks more. ' Still, the elements do their best to keep life exciting for residents. Tropical storms sweep down the coast on a moment’s notice."
he then jumps up and down and sways back and forth, "The old gods rumble the ground with quakes with little warning. And the fire gods erupt in displeasure from the volcanic Dreadsmoke Mountains threaten eruption and tidal waves wash away whole villages, sucking them out to sea. He laughs..."I enjoy the fury."
"Those hardy enough to survive, take pleasure with a land filled with natural treasures, bountiful food and all the trappings of paradise. Yet the beacon of paradise, by its nature, draws evil to its shores. Men and women with conquest in their merciless hearts, freebooters who slaughter the innocent for gain, and inscrutable sea monsters all flock to the Razor to make their fortune or hunt their prey. This is no place for a soul unskilled with blade or spell, and only the most hardened adventurers make their livelihood on the Razor." His eyes beam with excitement as he tells his tale.
The bard nods to Hawkins as he approaches, but she turns down his offer of rum. "Rum will be later... can't get all knackered before my performance. …"
He swallows his surprise at her comment as he had offered it to Darius and Embrianna.
Well, like you said – give ‘em time to warm up – who knows, maybe she was just distracted earlier when you tried to chat?
Embrianna will accept the offered rum from Dirk. "I don't have to sing, so I don't mind getting knackered tonight."
He looks at her, his eyes linger on hers as he hands her over the rum.
”Well, I doubt a serving of rum will get you “knackered up”,” he says with a grin as he hands it on ”I have a feeling you can handle yourself pretty well,” he says with sincerity.
”Anyhow, I just thought you’d enjoy it, is all,” he says as he watches her drink it.
”What kind of modifications?" she asks him suddenly.
David turns his gaze from Embrianna and glances back to Astrianna.
”Well, I was kind of thinking of making a Fighting Top as I didn’t see one on this ship so far.”
”Basically it’s like a small deck about ten feet by ten feet that you build half-way up the main mast. There’s a little hole to climb through, but you climb up the mast and get on this thing like a deck. Once you’re there you have a really good angle to shoot at enemy vessels and enemies on the our deck or another ship.”
”Plus, the Fighting Top provides some cover for you; you can lean back against the mast after taking a shot, it gives the enemy ranged fighters a really bad angle to be able to hit you unless they’re really far out.”
”Here, let me show you,” he says drawing a quick sketch here.
”I had a buddy of mine by the name of Horatio show me how to make them,” he adds as he shows the sketch on an errant page of his journal.
”You can get up to about four lads on one of them – a lot more than you could in a crow’s nest – and that’s a handy thing for casters and other types like that,” he adds.
He shows it to all of them.
”Takes only a day or so with a lad who’s got a decent knowledge of carpentry and some loose boards and nails,” he says, then looks at the rest of them.
”What do you think?” he asks.
"Aye...git me plenty of greens...the mackrel off the mist island are green in color...taste like shyte unless y' get the large ones. Now, Anchor Bay has real large green mussels them be fine with budder and garlic." She offers.David looks at the woman thoughtfully.
”Right – well, I mean greens like what I said – you know, chili peppers, red peppers are good too… How about fruit? You know, kiwi, guava, that sort of thing?” he adds, curiously.
"Cookie cooks." She uses the smoked peppered fish s a spoon. her gums look healthy enough, the tooth you figured was cracked by a blunt object. She spits through the open tooth. "Lots of fruit but it gives me gas."
He nods.
"Well, gas isn't that fun," he says with a nod.
"Still, kiwi's pretty tasty... Sometimes I like to take garlic, hot pepper, cumin, a little sage and basil and curry and add it to some shredded fish and pan fry it all together... good stuff," he says with a grin.
"Add in some lentils and maybe some lime juice and a little coconut milk and put the whole thing over rice - or potatoes, if you don't have rice - and you got yourself a pretty tasty meal," he adds.
"Y'better watch yer back doc..." she straightens up with a serious face, "if Cookie thinks yer takin' 'is job he'll take a hacket t'yer hand." She mumbels, "Cookie cooks." She gets up while chewing the rest of her fish. 'I'm not gonna tell 'im you want his job." She shakes her head.
"Y'better watch yer back doc..." she straightens up with a serious face, "if Cookie thinks yer takin' 'is job he'll take a hacket t'yer hand." She mumbels, "Cookie cooks." She gets up while chewing the rest of her fish. 'I'm not gonna tell 'im you want his job." She shakes her head.
He grins at her.
"But I don't want his job, I just like talking about good food is all," he says with surprise at her comment.
He watches her move off.
"It was nice meeting you," he adds with a wave as she moves off.
Darius has a good laugh at Hawkins as Rita moves off, "Already makin' more friends with the crew, eh sir?"
Darius stands and swallows down the remainder of his glass of wine, handing the remainder of the bottle to the First Mate. He bows and extends his hand toward Evbrianna, saying as he does so, "I do believe I promised this lady a dance. Perhaps, if you are ready for your song, Astrianna, you could supply us some music? If not," he raises his voice so some others on the crew can hear, "surely some of the crew have some instruments and skill with them to provide this celebration a lively tune!"
Astrianna runs her eyes over the drawing, giving a nod. "Certainly looks useful- I'd use it. But I'm not the one you have to convince- The Mother's Blessing belongs to the Captain after all. There's also the riggers and the carpenters... They might not like the new blood coming in and suggesting change. But. If you get the Captain to agree, they'll likely only grumble." She glances over to the officer's dining area. "You'll be having plenty of dinners with him, pitch it to him then I'd say."
Astrianna listens to Malta's tale with a sense of wonder apparent on her face. The land he describes is a living, breathing thing- an untamed beast that throws off any yoke. "Why would you leave this place? I've been trying to escape the monotony of the simple life forever, this sounds like a paradise..."
At some point in the evening Dirk manages to get himself close enough to the Quartermaster, Henk, on the foredeck. One thing is certain he is he surly in his appearance and mannerism, he looks at you suspiciously when you ask to look at the manifest. He shakes his head, "Not till the Captain tells me." He begins to clean dried blood and dirt from under his finger names with a large serrated dagger.
He listens to the ship modification suggestion, "Your the Sawbones, not the engineer, that's his job not yours." He seems bored with the conversation by now and turn away.
Adriel when you look at the human lady leaving dinner with her escort, you sense she had no problem seeing you, her eyes were deathly cold definitely the eyes of killer. She walks by.
Worse yet, you saw she drew two daggers skillfully, someone use to working in the shadows. You're fairly confident that killing you would have been fairly easy.
Whoever she is, she's the one the Captain chose to protect in the battle.
At some point in the evening Dirk manages to get himself close enough to the Quartermaster, Henk, on the foredeck. One thing is certain he is he surly in his appearance and mannerism, he looks at you suspiciously when you ask to look at the manifest. He shakes his head, "Not till the Captain tells me." He begins to clean dried blood and dirt from under his finger names with a large serrated dagger.
He listens to the ship modification suggestion, "Your the Sawbones, not the engineer, that's his job not yours." He seems bored with the conversation by now and turn away.
David looks at Henk, he observes that the Quartermaster has refused to share information and has violated the Privateer Code – he considers going to the captain and reporting the issue, be it now or later, but instead just sighs.
Just skip it – some people just aren’t very friendly; if you push them it doesn’t change it, it just pisses them off.
Astrianna runs her eyes over the drawing, giving a nod. "Certainly looks useful- I'd use it. But I'm not the one you have to convince- The Mother's Blessing belongs to the Captain after all. There's also the riggers and the carpenters... They might not like the new blood coming in and suggesting change. But. If you get the Captain to agree, they'll likely only grumble."
Astrianna hands the document back to him and he nods at her observation.
”Aye – well, it was just a suggestion; but perhaps you’re right… I’ve noticed that too many questions seem to agitate the officer cadre here,” he says with a sheepish grin.
Whenever Astri begins her performance, Embrianna will attempt to dance with Darius.
The result is less than graceful....
Clearly her skills lie in another direction.
Darius notes her less than graceful start and places a firm hand on her hip and whispers to her, "Relax, follow my lead. Don't think about doing it and just do it, have fun with it."
Sath awakens with the dawn and as he soaks in the sun's first light, he performs his prayers to nature and absorbs into himself his daily spells of communion with the forces of nature. He then sets about catching some breakfast.
As the evening approaches Astrianna surveys the crew, noting that the signs of battle had been cleaned up, conversation was nearly back to normal, and everyone had returned to their routine duties. A perfect moment to liven things up. My audience is ready!
The half-elf finds the Captain if he is readily available, a wide smile of anticipation on her lips. "Captain, permission to sing from the forecastle?" She wasn't really asking permission, but instead informing the captain of her impending debut, as why would he refuse?
She briefly slips away to prepare, out of sight of others- a feat that proved difficult on the stuffed ship. She takes off her gloves, armor and sword, putting them in her haversack with the intent of storing it in the officer's mess. The bard thumbs her hat and concentrates, activating its powers. She decides to re-create one of her favorite dresses she used to wear back in Taldor.
The fitted, rugged adventurer's clothes appear to turn into a beautiful dark green and gold silk dress, white trim lining the collar, wrists, and skirt that reaches to her ankles. Her boots now appear to be matching green slippers, but an extremely observant person could notice they thump with the sound of boots if she walks too quickly. Her black hair appears to be put up in an elaborate cascade of braids, the hat itself turning into a green ribbon that is woven throughout the hair to dangle evenly on both side of her head. A few tasteful, simple gold rings adorn her fingers and small golden clasps now fit her ears.
Taking out a small mirror from her haversack, she nearly squeals with glee that the magic of the hat makes it so easy to prepare for a performance. Delshad never did understand how useful this hat actually is. It was wasted on him.
She almost saunters out on deck like the alpha female of a lion pride, when she remembers there are nobles on the ship that greatly outrank her. While her outfit is no threat to them, she is careful to adjust her stride if any of the other female nobility are around. The bard ensures that no one actually touches her unless it is her hands, as it could disrupt the illusion.
Climbing the forecastle, the Songbird takes her perch over the deck and looks across her audience- she hopes that by now her presence has their attention. Touching the ribbon in her hair briefly to refresh the illusion, the half-elf smiles widely and speaks loudly to the deck.
"I'm Astrianna, and I hope you're ready to sing, lads! This is a favorite of mine, and soon I think it will be yours, too."
The woman taps her foot on the planks beneath, counting out the time before launching into Ben Backstay in a mezzo-soprano, leaning on the railing of the forecastle.
Ben Backstay was a boatswain,
A very jolly boy,
No lad than he more merrily
Could pipe all hands ahoy.
And when unto his summons
We did not well attend,
No lad than he more merrily
Could handle a rope's end.
She projects her voice as loud as as she can- an impressive volume that could be heard over the wind and slosh of the sea. The bard goes into the chorus, beginning to move about the planks.
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido,
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido.
It chanced one day our captain,
A very jolly dog,
Served out to all the company
A double share of grog.
Ben Backstay he got tipsy,
Unto his heart's content,
And being half-seas over,
Why overboard he went.
Astrianna flashes a winning smile at the crowd and raises her hands up, beginning to clap the time. "Come on lads, sing it with me!"
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido,
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido.
A shark was on the larboard bow:
Sharks don't on manners stand,
But grapple all they come near,
Just like your sharks on land.
We heaved Ben out some tackling,
Of saving him in hopes;
But the shark he bit his head off,
So he couldn't see the ropes!
She lets out a melodic laugh at the last line before starting to clap again for the chorus.
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido,
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido.
Without his head his ghost appeared
All on the briny lake:
He piped all hands aloft and said;
"Lads, by me warning take:
By drinking grog I lost my life,
So lest my fate you meet,
Why, never mix your liquors, lads,
But always drink them neat."
Walking back and forth on the planks, hands raised high, she begins to clap again. "Everyone!"
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido,
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido.
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle ido,
Singing chip cho, cherry cho,
Fol de riddle idoooooooo.
The bard holds the last note of the song to signal it's end, trialing off until the sound of the sea obscures her voice. She eagerly awaits her applause and cheers, beaming towards the crew.
Eventually Adriel catches the captain when he is talking to the pilot. He listens to the magus, "good to have your services." He smiles and there doesn't' appear to be any hard feelings. his mood is light when the bard signs.
With Darius's help, Embrianna manages to not make a complete fool of herself. "Thank you, as you can see I've spent far more time on the deck of a ship than on a dance floor."
As Astrianna concludes her song, Darius applauded her performance, then bows to Embrianna.
"It was my pleasure, Embrianna. I look forward to more opportunities to dance in the future."
And more, I hope.
To answer the big question on every guys' mind, at the end of the night, Embrianna finds an empty and out of the way spot on the deck to go to sleep alone under the stars.
Sunrise comes on this cloudy morning with the greeting of "Sails in the distance.... portside, bow ...mark 8 miles, count 9 masts. Three ships First Mate!" He pauses. "Wind beam reach off port."
3 ships, 3 masts per ship coming from front, left side of the ship at 8 miles. Wind is neutral coming from left side. The wind favors neither.
There is shift change after the announcement, the crew continues to go on their business, hoisting sails and morning swabbing of the deck. Breakfast of hot oats, brown sugar and honey glazed ham is served.
The First Mate uses the looking glass, marks a few notations down and then moves on with his business of ordering a crew detachment to clean barnacles from the starboard side of the ship.
He looks at Sath, "Get a crew three to work the barnacles off at the water line with you this morning...I'd like to pick up a bit more speed."
He looks at Sath, "Get a crew three to work the barnacles off at the water line with you this morning...I'd like to pick up a bit more speed."
"Could you identify the flag at this distance, Mister Tulita?" David says to the First Officer.
"And while I'm at it, are there any other specific duties for the rest of us?" he asks the First Officer.
As he waits for a response, he'll go fetch himself a bow and a quiver of twenty arrows from the weapons locker.
If someone has a problem with borrowing the gear, he'll happily respond in game.
"Ships look like two caravels and an escort sloop, flags can't be made out." he doesn't seem overly concerned right now, "No need to string bows yet." You all would know that the direction of the ships make them unlikely to be pursuers.
There is an uneasy voice behind you Dirk that clears her throat.
"Ships look like two caravels and an escort sloop, flags can't be made out." he doesn't seem overly concerned right now, "No need to string bows yet." You all would know that the direction of the ships make them unlikely to be pursuers.
There is an uneasy voice behind you Dirk that clears her throat.
David turns around at the sound of the voice to see who it is.
Geographically you know you are now in the Inner Sea on southwesterly heading, no land in sight.
The diffident young lady asks, "I...er, are you .." She whispers, "the, the doctor?" Her lips dry.
Wanting to start off her first day as a member of the ship's crew on the right foot, Embrianna volunteers to help scrap the hull.
"I certainly don't mind getting a bit wet and I am not much use in preparing for a fight. Much more useful for after it."
For now David considers the information that the First Officer gave him.
A caravel is fast – she’s faster then a sloop, that’s for sure – but they’re not generally able to stow a lot of men and gear normally… So they’re using the caravel’s for speed, not muscle; unless she’s square-rigged, but then we’re looking at a possible galleon - maybe - but there’s no reason for a sloop to be giving aid to a bloody galleon.
Meantime a sloop is typically only a one mast vessel; unless she’s maybe a cutter – in which case she may be heavier and better armed then a mere sloop...
Point is, those ships can outmatch us in speed, that’s for damn sure – they may have slipped their moorings yesterday after the Cheliax ship got back to port and maybe reported in for aid. In which case they may be hunting us formally as got that pox-mucked "bounty" on our ass.
Gods damn…
As his eyes narrow, he hears the cough again and turns around to see who's there.
"I...er, are you .." She whispers, "the, the doctor?" Her lips dry.
His eyes mellow instantly and he composes himself with a friendly demeanor so as not to upset this person but make them comfortable.
"Yes indeed, madam. How can I help you?" he says to her with a friendly tone in his voice.
She looks pallid, when she enters a coughing fit. She looks uneasy on her feet, "C...c...ca..<cough> can't stop cou...coughing today."
She looks pallid, when she enters a coughing fit. She looks uneasy on her feet, "C...c...ca..<cough> can't stop cou...coughing today."
His eyes narrow as he looks at her.
”It’s okay, let me have a look,” he says with a small smile, trying to make her feel comfortable.
"Come over here - why don't you sit down for a minute," he adds, asking her to be seated and get comfortable - especially if she looks dizzy.
He feels her pulse to gauge if it is strong or weak and gauge her heart rate.
He looks into her eyes to see if they’re bloodshot or clear.
He feels her skin to see if she’s feverish, chilled or clammy.
He asks her to open her mouth so he can examine her throat and see if there is swelling in her throat or on and around her mucous membranes.
Finally he asks her to cough into a small cloth and examines the mucous to see if it’s coughing up clear or off-colored.
”So – how long have you had the cough?” he asks her.
"Been cou <coughing> ...ghing today,, she is hot to the touch, calmy, she cough into the cloth. Wheezing, "C..ches...chest so tight." She leans on the good doctor and nearly falls into your arms. Her eyes look fine, pulse is elevated.
Happily a member of the crew though obviously a novice and the captain was aware of his real value, Adriel had retired for the night in high spirits.
He had a few more drinks with other members of the crew, didn't want to seem as though he were a snob with only the pretty women. The girls would come to him if they wanted attention.
So he made a point of meeting a few of the members and listening for a change.
He rose with everyone else and having no specific duties other than to help out where he could, the first thing he did was remain in the bunk room to prepare his spells for the day.
Then to join the crew on deck and help out where he could.
"Been cou <coughing> ...ghing today,, she is hot to the touch, calmy, she cough into the cloth. Wheezing, "C..ches...chest so tight." She leans on the good doctor and nearly falls into your arms. Her eyes look fine, pulse is elevated.
"Hmm... you seem a little warm," he says slowly as he examines her.
"Why don't you come into where I have my supplies, I'll see what I can do to help you better."
As he leads her to the bay he looks at her carefully.
"Are you traveling with other family, or by yourself?" he asks as he leads her into the room and some privacy.
Astrianna wakes with a groan as the shift changes, the woman flailing about in a hammock she procured for a few moments before realizing the futility of her spasms. Carefully picking herself out of the cloth, she sits up in the hammock and holds her head.
How much did I drink last night? I just remember the wonderful applause everyone gave, and then I changed back into my normal clothes... then there was the rum, wine... cards... more wine...
Taking a deep breath, she exhales slowly and stands up straight, nearly retching as the ship heaves suddenly. Grabbing on to a post she sways for a moment, and gains control. Boots are lazily tied on before she moves to the officer's mess to retrieve her belongings.
She gathers her breakfast and stays in the mess, eating light due to feeling slightly nauseated. Knowing an excellent remedy to her situation, the half-elf pulls her coffee maker and ground coffee beans out of her haversack and gets some hot water from the cookie, promising him some brew for the assistance.
The first thick black cup poured naturally goes to herself however, and she sips the brew quietly with a refreshing sigh. I'm surprised no one makes potions out of this stuff.
Following directions, Sath picks a crew of three (Embrianna, Adriel, and a random crew member) and then gets to scraping the barnacles off the hull.
Adriel happily accepts the job scraping crap of the ship.
He had a particularly useful Cantrip prepared. PRESTIDIGIATION, could do minor cleaning chores such as this and so he used the spell liberally to get his section clean and at least as fast as the others, while not actually lifting a finger.
Bloody great spell, that one. If you all like I can use it to dry us all off once we are back on the boat.
His familiar took the opportunity to fly around the ship a bit and hunt for any fish who were silly enough to swim near the surface.
She coughs up phlegm that is pink tinged in the cloth and shows you. "F..f..fam...family...husband, he's sleeping for hours now and <cough> three <cough> kids."