Machete managed to repair the sail, sort of.Though it wasn't really that good of a job, it would pass inspection. As he is walking back from the sail locker, on the middle deck, he catches sight of one of the other swabs stumbling out from behind a stack of crates. Going to investigate, as the man stumbles up on deck, Mateo finds an isolated pocket away from the rest of the ship. In a crack between two crates, he find a cloth sack.
Tilly looks up at Mateo and frowns, before looking away. "Look... I bear you no ill will, savvy? But it ain't good for me to talk to ya now. Just... find me tonight and I'll give ya an explanation, right?" She looks around, before moving about her day.
Tilly looks up as Mateo approaches and smiles sadly. "I am sorry about earlier ya know? It was Scourge. He doesn't like y'all, thinks yeh aren't right for this crew and wanted to break yeh in a bit. He sent us to rough yeh up but he ain't want ya dead, yet. I wouldn't put it past em though so... watch yer arse?"
Mateo makes his way under deck to search out the Middle hold. The hold is mostly empty save for 14 pigs; normally kept caged, they periodically escape and run loose within the hold. In the forward section, a flight of wooden stairs climbs up to the officers’ quarters (area A4), while a second set of stairs descends into the lower hold (area A10). A huge shaved man, tarred and feathered, is invariably chained to the foremast here to keep him from causing trouble and to keep people out of the officers’ cabin. Another flight of stairs in the aft section next to the galley leads up to the captain’s quarters (area A5), but it is common knowledge among the crew that the door is trapped. Stored near the mainmast are two light ballistas, a disassembled light catapult, and 12 barrels containing 20 gallons of oil each.
As he searches through the hold, he stumbles across a crate, half open. Inside he finds a set of leather armour and a pair of thieves tools.
That night, as he makes to dump his rum over the rails, he feels a hole being burned in his shoulders from a furious stare. Turning around, he finds himself face to face with Scourge.
"The f!%& you doing laddie? Cap'ns rum not good enough fer ya? Tisk-tisk! Best ya learn to like it. Boys?"
Two of the Pirates, Maheem and a man Mateo does not recognize, grab him and force him to his knees. A woman with an eyepatch, the Captains girl, hurried forward with a funnel and a large jug of rum. The funnel is forced between the mans teeth and Scourge begins to pour. As much as he fights, Mateo has to start swallowing or else end up drowning.
Both Mateo and Vex had decided to pour out their rum at the same spot, unfortunately, and as Mateo collapsed to the deck, soaked in rum, Vex was grabbed roughly.
"Oh ho! Another one hey? Oh lass yer not goin to enjoy this!"
Forced to her knees with the funnel jammed between her teeth, the rum begins to flow forth.
Vex is left panting on the deck. She recovers however and puts on one hell of a performance, stumbling and telling a story so entrancing that at the end everyone is laughing and applauding.
Vex finds herself showered with coins and, after struggling to pick them up, eventually managed to scoop them all in to a purse. She collected 4gp, 15sp and 27cp.
Amara fails to drag in enough fish, and Kroop stares at her worriedly, before sighing. "Ah lass... I know ya tried as hard as ya can but... Plugg won't be happy. He will punish you fer this, mark me words it will!" He nodded kindly. before gesturing around, "Look around for now, get used to the place and see if anything catches yer fancy!"
Amara spots a trio of harpoons, a spear and a grappling hook hanging on the wall.
The small Halfling woman looks up at Amara as she approaches and smiles friendly. "I'd love the company. Name is Rosie, pleasure to meet you. I've only been here a little longer than you myself, same circumstances. Tough ship huh?"
Before Amara can set about the job she should be doing today, she has a mop and a bucket forced in to her hands, and Scourge sneers at her gleefully. "That f@!$ up with the fish yesterday just earned yeh a day in the bilges girl. Good luck!"
Amara is forced to clean the bilges for the day and finds herself in the bottom of the ship, the disgusting hole at the base of it all.
As she enters the bilge, she looks around. Her eyes are drawn first to the handle of weapon sticking out of the water, and then to a crate, toppled over, its contents spilling out. Laying inside she finds a suit of leather armour, three heavy maces and a purse holding 12 sp. The handle belongs to a fine looking handaxe, one clearly made by a master.
Cuff slides down the ropes onto the deck and approaches Maheem. "Leave 'em alone yea bilge rat, yer keep in him from his work." Cuff cracks his knuckles and grins. "Or would year rather I give a reenactment to the crew?"
You can't be raised by a merchant without learning the value of things, and Cadj takes the time to estimate the ring when he's alone at night.
He speaks to no one about the big man in tar and feathers.
Secrets can be valuable too. Maybe I know something now that I shouldn't known. This man might be a prisoner... No, I don't think so. Prisoners would be too valuable to be treated like this! If he was worth any money, he would be better guarded. And if he wasn't worth any money, he would be dead. You can't feed a mouth worth nothing.
Indeed, Syl. I'm from Cheliax, a country well known for his association with Hell. More, alas, that my own association with ropes. But I'm willing to learn.
After trying his hands at the various way of knotting a rope, Cadj will excuse himself for the night, and rest.
I need to find out my spellbook. Or perhaps to buy a new one.
Mateo will take the cloth bag he found and make Appraise checks on the bottle of wine, silver ring, and agates (assuming he can't take 20).
Maheem jolts backwards, drawing his knife an inch from its scabbard, before slamming it back home and backing away. "Y'ill get yers ya bloody greenskin bastard, I promise!" He looks like he is about to say more, till Scourge whistles and makes a slashing motion at his throat, glaring at Maheem.
"Enough Maheem. Back ta work. All of yeh!"
Ratline waits for the tall Mwangi man to slink away, before moving up to Cuff, on the pretense of staring up in to the rigging to spot for one of the other riggers. "Thanks mate, ya didn't have ta do that but I bloody appreciate it."
Cadj reckons, upon closer inspection of the ring, that it is worth about 15gp or so. It is not of any particular quality, it is simply just a plain silver band, maybe a promise band or some such thing.
Amara struggles through the day, but managed to pull it all together, pushing through her punishment and coming out stronger for it.
Mateo takes his time and then some, looking over each item thoroughly. The wine is a common vintage but comes from a Noble vineyard, as such it is worth around 10gp he thinks. The agates are also worth 10gp each, and the ring he figures to be worth about 5sp as it is little more than a cheap metal.
On the third night, despite having what felt like a whole bottle of the vile Wormwood Grog forced down his gullet, Mateo nonetheless tries again to chat up Tilly to learn more about her and the crew's quirks and alliances. He also has another question for the pirate lady: "What in blazes do they put in that li-HIC!-quor they give us??!!"
I'll have to try to find a way to buy back my spellbook. I don't think this ring or the money will be enough, but it's a start. The half orc quartermaster probably has it in her stock. As for the man I saw earlier.. I trust no one here to give me honest answers.
After chatting with Tilly, Mateo returns to the hold and his hammock. When Cuff walks in, the young man extends his hand and introduces himself. then he asks, "What does that big Mwangi fellow--Maheem, is it?--have against you? Against all of us, for that matter?"
"And what's the deal with that woman who healed you? I noticed her holy symbol--Besmara, the Pirate Queen. Why'd she heal you? Isn't she with Scourge and those other bastards?"
Amara stows away the gear she finds. Leather armor is good, but I like my own armor better. Sure would like to get it back.
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Tilly looks at the man before laughing softly. "Aye, it is strong isn't it? You did just swallow a tonne of it and all too. Poor lad. You'll be sick in the morning I'd bet."
Mateo and Tilly chat for awhile over small things, the fact that those who attacked them were either beholden to Scourge in some way, or his fanatic lackies (Tilly being the former as she tries to keep herself out of the hands of Maheem, by being useful to the Master). The crew is firmly loyal to the Officers, though some are disgruntled, Tilly, Ratline, Kroop, and Cog to name just a few.
The day dawns bright and early to the sound of tolling bells. You roll from your bunks and set feet on the wooden planks, stretching as you greet the new day. Mateo and Vex feel sour gutted and shaken, and still a bit drunk.
As you make your way up on deck, you are all greeted by breakfast, ships biscuits and watered red wine again, lucky dogs. You are also greeted by a grinning Scourge.
"Ello poppets, how are you this fine morning? Wait... no I don't give a f*!#!" His grin becomes a sneer as he points towards the back locker. "Yer all to scrub the deck this mornin so get to it, all of you, Rigger and Cooks Apprentice and all."
With that he storms off to give out other tasks to the other crew.
Sick to her gut. Her legs not wanting to move. At least she wont be using them that much.... this is not what she had in mind...
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Cadj works on the scrubbing of the deck, wordlessly
I could use a spell and things would be so easier. But then, I've never been shy of hard work.
Mateo fights through the effects of the previous night's grog-glugging, feeling well enough to try to start up a bit of conversation with the folks he fought alongside briefly a couple mornings back.
"Nice fellow, that Scourge jackass," he comments. "I'm Mateo, by the way. So, what did you folks do to become the taskmaster's favorites?" In a much lower voice, the young man adds, "And which of you is the leader of the rebellion that's gonna see that piece of **** thrown over the rail to float away on the Fever Sea?"
Amara does her best to shove the swab, or mop, or whatever it's called around the deck, even though it's taller than she is.
The swab refuses to move. This is embarrassing.
She introduces herself to Mateo, brushing her sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes and extending a hand. "Name's Amara. Nice to meet you. I don't know--they've got some sort of grudge.". She tries to size him up. If he were a NPC, she'd detect motive on him.
In a lower voice: "Are you serious? About the piece of excrement?"
"Well...yeah!" Mateo replies to Amara, shaking her offered hand. "I mean, it's bad enough being pressganged into being a pirate--no offense --but that Scourge is just...."
A moment after he trails off, Mateo's eyes harden and he adds, "I'm not sure how much more of his crap I'm going to be able to take before I start taking it personal...know what I mean?"
About half way through the morning, with the sun hanging high above, you find yourselves swabbing the decks, still. You glance up towards the Top Deck, as a commotion breaks out. Jack Scrimshaw, the youngest member of the crew, breaks up on to deck, cradling his arm, looking ashen faced and sickened. He bolts for Scourge and begins to blather about hissing in the Brig.
"I was bit, I didn't see what did it but it hurt like crazy!"
Scourge listens to the man rambling on for a moment before shoving him away and pointing down under deck. "Go get yerself looked at ya wretch!" He turns towards the five of you on deck and barks a rough order. "Go down in to the Bilges and see if ye can find out what that fool was talking about. Deal with it, fast!"
Cadj was blinking under the deck, his eyes straining to see after most of the day spent in the sun
Not the best spotter, and lack of sleep, the effects of the drink, but at least the dim light did not bother her
Amara climbs down into the bilge and looks around. Besmara, help me see.
Mateo draws the dagger from his boot at he starts to descend into the hold. Before proceeding into the bilges he asks if anyone has a light source.
"Don see nuthin... prick probably got a splinter."
Red Rats
Cadj
Machete
Blue Rats
Vex
Green Rats
Cuff
Amara
Five rats advance on the party, hissing and spitting, gnashing their teeth threateningly as, from their hiding places, another three large "Splinters" launch themselves at Cuff, Cadj and Vex.
The rats leaping at Cadj and Cuff leap wide, but the one attacking Vex strikes true and bites deep in to the womans leg.
Two of the other rats dart forward, leaping for Amara and Machete.
Both rats miss there mark and land with a soft thud, turning to hiss at their opponents once again.
Mateo slashes at the rat to his north .
for
Cadj tries to kick a rat, but the smelly, dirty, furry creature easily escapes his wrath
The rat that Mateo slashed hisses and spits violently, gnashing its teeth at the man and huddling around its wound, but doesn't go down. The last couple rats move to within striking distance and leap for their targets.
The rats leaping at Cuff and Machete miss their mark, but the rat attacking Amara strike true, breaking skin but doing little else really.
Cuff laughs at the pitiful assault of the rats and moves to crush the one attacking the weaker Vex.
Vex glanced around looking for a weapon and spots a likely looking handle sticking out of a crate. On closer inspection, the weapon turns out to be a morningstar. There are three in the bottom of the crate.
"There are weapons here!" she calls
As she makes swing with the mace
but with all the scurring, she misses the rat
"I hate fighting. . ." Amara grumbles.
Amara take the shiny new dagger she found and tries to make a rat skewer. I'm sure I look as ridiculous as I feel.
"I could use something bigger than a dagger here!" Mateo shouts when Vex mentions discovering weapons.
Amara and Vex swing wide and miss their targets. Three of the rats leap back, seeking to down the creatures who invaded their new domain.
Three leaping rats, but only one hits their mark, clamping on to Cuffs arm.
Cuff and Amara both miss their rats, before the furry beasts lash back in retaliation. The rat that Mateo attacks leapt at him, while the one to his south bit out at Cuff.
Both rats hit their marks, causing the men to bleed, if only slightly.
Still feeling the lingering effects of his "Triple Shot Grog Special" from the night before, Mateo mutters, "I could use something bigger than a dagger to whack these vermin!" He grabs one of the morningstars from the crate by the woman with the mismatched eyes and, wielding it two-handed, takes a swing at one of the rodents.
for
1st--Rat between Cadj & Amara
2nd thru 4th--Rat directly below Vex, then moving to the right
Seeing how bad he is in rat-fighting, Cadj prefers to be ready to dodge any rodent attack
If only I had my spell book, these rats would be dead by now. No reason to get bitten... They seem happy tasting the flesh of half orc.
Machete slams his morningstar down on to the skull of the rat to his North, driving the beast to the ground to twitch and die.
Three of the rats lunge out at the party, one at Vex, one at Amara and the last at Cuff.
Two of the rats miss their mark, but the one leaping at Amara makes his contact.
"Here you go!" she calls out and hands people the weapons at her feet