Shaking his head Dibbs waves off Dingus "I'll be along later... need tae gie the feckers a learnin first... off wi ye"
Apparently, Dibbets has something in mind so the rest of the crew along with Estabo and a reluctant Rafe go upstairs to meet the captain. The upper floor is quite a bit quieter and only a few tables are occupied. Handsome leads you to one occupied by two women and a half-orc.
The first woman wears her black hair in a severe cut hacked off at near shoulder length. Her eyes are just as dark and severe. She's dressed in a blouse, stylish red jacket and tight leather pants. There's a rare pistol at here side along with a fine rapier.
The second also looks like little fun with a sour expression and longer black hair. She wears black and has a golden pentacle pendant dangling from a chain around her neck.
The half-orc male wears an outlandish fur cap and stained tunic and already has a couple empty cups in front of him. His expression is one of mild amusement as the group approaches.
"Handsome" Hinsin introduces the women first, "Captain Lanteri, Quartermaster Iulia and Anatoly, I found some potential crew finally. These folks have some definite bona fidas. Sound like well-seasoned adventurers and sailors."
Iulia gives the group a once over. "The two men look able enough and we could use a cabin boy. The Tian looks weak though and I don't know what use a one-handed orc would be.
Jim taps his forehead in a salute, albeit one lacking in crispness. "Cap'n. Ma'am. Sir. If I may speak freely? I respectfully advise against crossing the half-orc, as he can throw down with the best of them. Both he and the Tian know their way around a ship, and if there are tasks they can't do there are plenty more that they can."
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As Dibbets sits knee deep in melancholy, the fringes of his person begin to weft and wend... as though being caught in snatches of breeze that touch nothing within the inn but himself. He drains another shot of liquor, muttering to himself in his native Halfling tongue "P1ssing little sh1ts... feckin laughin at me an all... bloody blonde haired prissy pr1ck... thinkin he's a wit fer callin me short... what tha feck does they knows... I seen things unblinkin that'd make 'em run gibberin an clawin at they eyes." taking the bottle in his left hand as the wind that clothes him suddenly takes a violent and sudden swerve upwards in intensity.
The force of the wind sends drinks spilling and chairs unladen spiralling away as Dibbets slams down the bottle of rum hard unto the benchtop... hard enough to make the impact report through the room and draw eyes... but not hard enough to spill the liquor sloshing within. The halfling doesn't turn around yet... instead seeking a stance upon the bar before turning and with bombastic tone and voice near screaming but yet controlled at the room back in the Taldan that the inbred yokels might understand
The last line is punctuated by the sudden appearance of a weapon of pure energy, plucked from between the air and made manifest through divine power and right. The scraggly snaggle-toothed and filthy halfling then stands a pint-sized manifestation of Gozreh's fury and might... three feet at the withers, clothed in a roiling and unceasing cloak of wind and bearing a trident crackling with nascent fury and spark. Pausing, the kilted and bare-chested halfling grimaces, taking a swig from the bottle he still holds in his left hand. Swallowing it he casts his eyes around the crowd and points with his trident slowly passing over all of those that are present... "Roight... who's feckin laughin now eh?" half challenge in his voice as he waits for some kind of reaction before continuing his monologue...
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There are several cries of "Great Barleybrew!" and "Cayden preserve us!" as all hells break loose on the bar. "Stormborn!" another yells. Several patrons take cover, those with weapons stand back hands on pommels and eyes on the mad halfling.
Hearing the commotion below Kaul's scowl at his dismissive impression fades and is replaced by a mako smile;
"Hur. Best listen tae Jimmer, he's the truest compass amongst us... but iffen ye require a demon-strating o' me scappin' credentials, then ye might not need wait long..."
The brutish thug, tips hook to forelock and moves away from their would-be new Captain.
"If anyone o' these holy drunkards throw down with Dibbs, ye'll see me paint the walls o' this sh1tehouse with me credentials hur-hur-hur..."
And with that Kaul draws Lopper and heads t'ward where drunken halfling faces down the patrons...
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Keeping his baleful eyes upon the milling patrons, Dibbets nonetheless notices any potential move by his mate to potentially inflame the situation further. Raising his left hand in pause he implores Kaul to hold off and not get bloody... at least not unless the yokels make to throw down.
Continuing in his sermonizing Dibbs takes to a boastful beration "O' he's jus a weedy cnut is what ye thought innit? Knee deep to a real man eh? Wee cripple wi' a funny leg eh?
Names I've earned an deeds I've done... Skin-dancer, Tongue-taker, I've Blackened the Knot, Dead-raised and Corpse-breaker... cursed by demon monkeys and walked the spirit world on wings. I walked sane into the Madhouse and stood invited in the Sea Lord's Palace. I trust in indiff'rence and have given mesel to the Maelstrom only to be spat out both times as more than when I entereds." ire still burning but Dibbs beginning to tail off.
"But why do I gi' a sh1te what ye think eh? Bunch o' bastards one an all... the crew I walk beside are salts to their bones. Any one o' them's worth more'n a town o' yer feckin uselessness. So I'm nae fer stayin an hearin any more o' yer sh1te." and with that the ornery halfling disapparates into the form of mist, catching upon the breeze and seeming to waft through the inn's doorway and out of the tavern.
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Kaul and the entire room move to the balcony to catch the show. Having thundered his credentials, the windblown halfling dissipates into a cloud and moves across the porch and off toward the docks.
Handsome Hinsin gives an appreciative nod. "Now that's how you put on a show. I hope he didn't take too much offense at my jokes..."
Anatoly motions Kaul to put the axe away and turns to Iulia. "See, ready and able. Even half of a half-orc is worth more than two humans! HA!"
Handsome vouches for Dingus. "This one's even got fangs. I saw 'em myself. These guys are definitely what we're looking for."
Capatin Lanteri remains poker faced, but gives Handsome the nod. "Aye. Iulia, get them signed. We leave on the morrow." She goes on her way with that leaving the Quartermaster to deal with the articles.
As Lanteri leaves, Jim stands straighter and gives her a much sharper salute. "Captain." Then he'll see what the Quartermaster is offering in the way of documentation to sign.
The articles are the standard affair spelling out conduct, punishments and compensation for all the crew.
Iulia pulls out the parchment and a pen waiting impatiently and with a faint air of disapproval for you to sign. A bit of mist coasts in through an open window and settles in a chair condensingb into a familiar halfling form. Iulia opens her mouth to say something, but "Handsome" Hinsin interrupts. "Oh, Captain will want this one. No hard feelings, friend?"
Dibbets shrugs "Wi' a face still like that in a game like this I'd imagin ye dinnae gets many holdin grudges eh?" his words able to be taken as a half positive affirmation. The halfling then spits on his un-bottled hand and holds it out to shake...
Handsome shrugs and pauses just a minute before spitting in his own hand and accepting the halfling's handshake.
Dibbs cackles a wee chuckle before nodding. He gives the contract a cursory glance before making a mark. Iffin we dinnae likes it we ken always change 'er up tha pirate way onna salt. He settles in for a heavy heavy night on the drink before most likely being collected via spatula from an alleyway tomorrow morning.
Kaul makes his mark, dipping hook tip to ink and marking with an scrawly, misshapen "X"
"Hur."
Jim signs the contract. "I'll meet you dockside before the middle of the morning watch, if that's all right with you." If the answer is in the affirmative, the Taldan will go looking for a clean brothel.
Dingus smiles up with his fangs still distended, and signs with a flourish, hesitating just for a moment whether to sign Wu-Fang, or his real name, but decides on the latter.
Estaban and Rafe add their marks as well and Iulia, Anatoly and Hinsin promptly depart. Jim heads out to follow up rumors of Calistrian priestesses leaving Dibbets to his cups and Kaul and Dingus to pursue their own interests.
The intermittent rains of the night turn into a steady roll with gusting winds the next morning as you board. A fitting entry into the month of Lamashan. You are greeted by the bosun, a pop-eyed half-orc female who immediately sends Dibbets and Jim up into the shrouds, Kaul to the capstan and the rest below to the galley. You make good time, but are kept busy with barely a moment to toss your gear into the crew quarters let alone meet anyone. You do spot Nkechi aboard though smiling wildly as he helps out with the ropes.
The sun would surely be high overhead if it could be seen behind the thick clouds when the Magpie rounds a rocky outcropping to the leeward shore of an island. The Captain reappears on deck and signals the bosun to call for the sails to be hauled.
Though the wind is lessened here, the surf is still rough. The sea churns around a number of rocky islets and a massive stone arch juts out over the spray. It is high enough to nearly accommodate the mast. The Magpie stays well clear of it though. Thick chains are coiled around the top of the arch. Three extend down dangling three corpses from their ends some sixty feet overhead.
Captain Lanteri summons the newcomers. "Now we'll find out what you're made of. See the sod up there with the wooden leg? That was one of my husband's partners. I need that peg back. Just the peg though. Leave the corpse hang."
Dibbets enjoys getting up into the rigging and lets the bracing salt wind drive out the remainder of last nights cobwebs from his head. As he works his mind ponders a couple of points Should check wi' Estabo tae see how 'es feelin... an see iffin tha Cap'n has someone aboard ken look at me boomer.
Raising a slight eyebrow at the simplicity of the challenge Dibbets queries "Thass it? - jus get up an rip 'is leg off?" and if confirmed he turns to Dingus "Looks like a job fer Jimmer... ken ye send him up?" holding out a hand to appease Kaul with a quieter "I knows loppin is more yer territory... but be easier fer Jimmer to hold ontaes tha leg wivvout droppin it... hook 'and an all ye know?"
Lanteri gives a curt nod and orders the bosun to ready a jolly boat as the ship is still several hundred feet from the arch.
Kaul grunts an agreement, but taps Lopper with a grin;
"Fine matey... but I'll be ready tae step up iffen needed... Hur!"
The thug then assists with the navigation;
:
Jim and Kaul take the oars while Dibbets and Dingus hold on. The small craft is tossed about on the crashing waves giving a bumpy ride through the rocks. They manage to get set under the arch, but the dinghy rocks to and fro as they try to keep it in place. Jim hands his oar over to Dibbets so Dingus can give him wings.
Dibbets watches on, taking the ebb and flow of the waves in his stride. As he waits for Dingus to send Jimmer aloft, he muses and shrugs Could likely manage it wi' me kilt like... but less see iffin Dingus ken manage it first like.
Dingus makes himself useful while below decks, and takes a small piece or rope, and ties a loop in each end. He wraps it about his waist, and uses his new Anchoring rod to secure it.
Seeing the need for a steady platform to cast from, Dingus puts his new tool to use. He takes the rod from his pocket, and places it about shoulder height. He then takes one end of his rope, and places it on the rod. The other hanging end he steps into to hold himself about 2-3' in the air above the surface of the heaving boat.
Profession: Sailor
Concentration
Dingus struggles to climb atop the steely rod, but with a boost from Jim, he finds his perch and is able to cast the spell on his mate. Jim floats up and up until he is level with the rotting corpse.
Dibbs ties off a rope for himself as he keeps to rowing... knowing that if needs be he could take to the salt and steady the boat in manta-form.
Profession (Sailor):
The Taldan draws his kukri and prepares to cut loose the leg. "Say, Dingus--anything of magic up here?" He scrutinizes the peg, looking for obvious places where it might break and release some dust of disappearance.
Dingus squints up and does sense magic up there, but hard to say yet if it's just Jim or something more.
Jim sees that the bone seems to have grafted a bit with the old wood.
Dibbets focuses on safety first (his own) and the boat drifts a bit as he ties himself in.
Jim shrugs and performs impromptu surgery with his kukri.
Kaul continues to row, fighting to keep the shipmates from drifting o'er much:
:
Kaul puts his broad shoulders into the oars and steadies the small craft below his dangling mates. Way up above, Jim performs an expert peg-ectomy not harming a splinter of bone. Dingus reports that it looks like the peg has an aura, but it will take a moment to read it.
And that's when it gets interesting as the Mother-of-All-Crabs rises out of the churning water. Its carapace is easily three dinghy lengths across and even standing with jointed legs upon the submerged rocks, its underside clears a fathom above the row boat.
Keelhaul Kaul-
Madman Jim-
Dingus-
Foe
Ship
You hear shouts of alarm from the ship.
Too focused on scratching his own crabs... Dibbets thoroughly misses the emergence of their prehistoric forebear.
"Get me down from here, Dingus!"
Dingus is very surprised that Jim wants to come down while he himself wants to go up, but nonetheless complies.
Round 1
Torn between keeping their skiff steady or bring Lopper to bear on uber-crab, Kaul opts for the latter.
The thug stows his oars, and draws his ax with a grin;
"Hur... Crab legs fer supper lads!"
Jim begins slowly sinking down while Dingus levitates himself and hovers above the anchoring rod. Kaul stows the oars and readies his axe as he eye the tree-sized crab legs.
The eyestalks focus on the boat, and two long tapering claws rise to strike with blinding swiftness. Kaul dodges the first claw, but the second catches the halfling by surprise as he finishes tying himself to the boat. Ribs crack under the immense force of the giant claw. The great crab attempts to pull him up, but Dibbets is tethered to the rope and instead the boat rocks wildly as it is tugged about.
Round 1:
Initial thoughts of berating Kaul for stopping rowing are cast aside with the breath expelled by the crab's crushing claw. Half battered and breathing wet the halfling tries to suck in some indifference to keep him going...
Concentration:
Dibbs gasps to get a spell out, but can barely breath in the crushing crustacean's grasp. It fails.
The captain's voice is heard shouting on the Magpie, "Bring Angry Molly to bear!" There is a loud retort, a sound reminiscent of the few times Dibbets' musket has properly gone off. There is a whizzing sound and a shot impacts the monster crab.
Through the pain Dibbets only manages to growl "Get clear lads... I'll foller ye... Dinnae be a dense'n Kauly."
Jim drops within striking distance of the great crustacean and puts his rapier through its shell.