Kaul's primordial instinct, honed as Lord of the Charau-ka, kicks in and he spots a suspicious coil on the ground: a net snare lying under the leaf litter. He easily avoids the trap and moment later finds a pig in a pendulous poke. The boar squeals and thrashes in a net suspended about eight feet in the air.
Kaul looks to the pig with a quizzical expression;
"Hur. Seems we ain't the only one's with a hankerin' fer wild piggy..."
The brute listens out to see if the boar's distress brings any new hunters a' calling...
:
The ruckus from the stuck in the air pig makes it hard to hear much, but Kaul doesn't detect anyone approaching.
The brutal bosun snorts in glee...
"Got me my bait... Let's see who else comes sniffin' fer oinky... eh Lopps?"
Kaul shifts into the undergrowth, using the shadows of the canopy to his best advantage as he lurks with murderous intent...
:
The struggling hog makes it difficult to hear any approach, but shortly after Kaul secures himself an arrow flies from behind a tree to impale the pig. It thrashes even more savagely causing the net to sway and the branch to creek. Kaul can't quite make out the form behind the tree.
With murderous patience the thug waits...
"They're taking a while eh?"
"Kaul probably stopped to chat with a mon--no, that wouldn't be good. Let's see what they're up to."
Undisturbed, the archer put two more arrows into the captive pig and then a dripping wet Zossrov steps out to claim his prize.
Kaul hisses a whisper at Zoss from the undergrowth;
"Hur. Zoss... It's Kauly... You see anyone... anythin' else? Am waitin' fer the snare setter like..."
The creeping half-elf starts as Kaul hisses. "I don't think anyone is around at the moment. That's usually the point of a snare," Zossrov replies a curtly. He cuts the rope with the cold iron cutlass dropping the dead boar. "Still, could be cannibals. We better return to the ship and tell the others. Help me with this. And you owe me 10 Sails."
The thug moves from his hiding place with a hacksaw chuckle;
"Hur... 10 Sails it is. Less 1 for being a cheeky basterd."
Kaul hands the man his coin, then looks around with a somewhat disappointed tone;
"Was hopin' to meet me some cannibals.. Ain't never eaten cannibal. Think it would be... poetic like... Hur-hur-hur..."
Zoss doesn't dignify that last bit with a response. The mates carry the carcass back to the river where a horrible mud-covered heathen awaits on the other side. Kaul gets excited until he realizes that it is a disappointed and very muddy Lola. The pig is hauled across and the trio return to the ship without further difficulty.
Dingus hustles to not miss the boat back to the ship from where he had been unsuccessfully digging a fire pit.
Kaul nods at Dingus as he rejoins the hunters and their prize.
He grins and nods toward the pig carcass, then Zossrov;
"You should've seen deadeye 'ere hunt that pig Dingus... 3 arras into it at walking distance, while the porker was strung inna net... Mighty impressive! Hur-hur-hur..."
The thug descends into a rough laugh at the expense of the bowman.
Zoss shrugs, "Your 10 gold will buy plenty of arrows to replace them. Want to double the bet on who's the better archer?"
Kaul shoots him a jaundiced look;
"Hur. 9 gold..."
The belligerent bosun mugs a grin;
"Hur. I prefer tae lopp 'em up close. Ain't never been one fer the bow... but I ain't fer backin' down neither."
Kaul scratches his mutton stubble and nods;
"Whose the target hur?"
Scoffing "Nei way ye ken handle a normal bow wi' yer hook anyhow eh?"
"No worries, Bosun. I'll let you off the hook," Zoss smirks. "I need to get that pig cleaned anyway."
"Ze pit eez almost ready," offers Estabo. He waves at Dingus who has wandered off apparently hunting for shells. In an aside to Dibbets he whispers, "Ze skinny one eez wandering around kinda crazee. Do you sink he slipping in ze head again?"
Scoffing "Nei way ye ken handle a normal bow wi' yer hook anyhow eh?"
Outmaneuvered Kaul merely flashes a hard grin, and a harder look;
Hur. Laugh it up. Lopp's'll make yer acquaintance one day... then I'll be the one smilin'... Hur.
The thug nods with a chuckle;
"Hur-hur. That kind heart'll be the death o' ye Zoss... hur."
Scoffing "That one aint never been allaway right inna heads tae start wi' eh." before adding on a more somber note "but all tha same, I'll keep an eye."
The festivities are a little subdued with the news that cannibals may be near, but the pig roast continues. Fortunately, none of the dread Kuru show up for a share of pork, either short or long, and a few days later the ship formerly known as the Magpie floats off her perch.
The leave taking is a somewhat somber affair as all recall the mates lost to this forbidding island and the alien caves below the black coral.
Belinna plots a direct course for Freeport that skirts the outer coast of Raptor Island and then bears NE to within sight of The Smoker before bearing NNE for Freeport. The route is more exposed to the open ocean, but avoids the Sahuagin Coast and further sea devil raids. It's about 70 leagues, 4 or 5 days with a fit ship, fair winds and following seas, but given the current condition of your vessel, it'll be 10 days more likely.
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Jim nods. "Make it so."
Kaul enjoys his hog jowls, the succulent taste tempering his disappointment at not getting to consume one of the infamous inhabitants of the Cannibal Isles.
The brutal bosun gets to work where required, pushing on to make their trip as quick as time and tide allow;
:
It's everyone who's able up in the shrouds to get her underway. The winds are initially unfavorable so it is slow going to tack away from the shore. It takes the day, but eventually the winds change and the ship makes better progress.
By the next morning, the everchanging winds of the Shackles shift again and you have the mixed blessing of a steady favorable wind as the skies darken with heavy clouds. Before noon, the eerie fogs of the Glengarnies appear ahead untouched by the wind and you have to cut sails and set extra watch for hazards as the ship wends the Shroud Strait between those haunted isles and the north coast of Raptor Island. As the day ends, wind and waves increase as the ship reaches the opening at the north end of the Glengarnies and many of the skeleton crew are required to help in pumping as the makeshift repairs are tested.
By the end of the third day, Cobb's dire reports on the state of the hull and the exhausted state of the crew who haven't had more than a wink or two of rest leads to a serious discussion of finding a harbor which might offer rest, repairs and a few new hands. You've been pushed farther east than intended and Belinna reports that the only settlements in the area are Blackblood Cay and Vilelock in the immediate vicinity or push a bit farther to see what sort of reception you'd get back at Raketooth or make the run for Plumetown. Jim Stork in particular voices his support for Plumetown being the biggest, best supplied and safest choice.
As the crew discuss their next port of call, their bosun mulls the options in his own noggin;
:
Kaul's familiarity with the most sordid elements of the Shackles provided him with some nuggets:
The two small settlements are on the north coast of Shark Island. Vilelock numbers only a couple hundred and is even rougher than usual for the Shackles. It's quite tumultuous, but the current most infamous and long lived leader, Nisia Gbele, is a specialist in particularly gruesome and effective poisons which may explain her unexpectedly long tenure.
Blackblood Cay is larger though it has a very limited wharf due to the narrow hidden inlet it occupies. It is the domain of Simeon the Vain, senior captain there. He's known to be thin-skinned and mercurial in his moods.
Dibbs mulls options and looks t'wards Jimmer for his steer... but his thoughts are coloured by a fight between wanting to secure what loot they've got in friendlier waters... and the need for more hands and some rabble raising.
Kaul imparts what he knows of Vilelock and Blackblood Cay, suggesting both of them are perhaps a little to bitter for most of the crew to swallow.
He does add that Vilelock might provide Jimmer with some harder edged salts to bolster both reputation and red-handedness.
Jim shakes his head. "We've not enough hands aboard to keep Gbele from taking the ship, should she have a mind to. Dibbets, how many lesser restoration spells can you cast in a day? Choose the best sailors of us and use your magic to clear their minds and ease their pain--we'll make for Plumetown."
Musing as he chews on the chin growing part of his beard "Maybe nine or ten I could keeps on their feet a while longer... but I'd be aboot as much use as a feckin deck-scrub iffin it came tae a barney late inna day. Plus some men're made fer that sort o' long hours an some ain't... but iffin it's yer play then I'd back ye."
Kaul nods sagely;
"Plumetown it is Cap'n. Ain't many on this tub built to be red-handed... Hur..."
The crew is supportive of Jim's decision, few besides Kaul think visiting any port on Shark Island is a good idea. Zossrov and Jenkie in particular look relieved.
The storm subsides somewhat over night and many of the crew are bolstered by Dibbets' energizing touch that removes their weariness. The next day is gray and windy and the crew is again overworked bailing the leaky ship and tending the sails in the wildly shifting winds.
Finally, the foul weather blows past and once again the floundering ship is pushed steadily toward a safe harbor. The crew can settle into shifts pumping out the hold and it seems another crisis has passed. Before noon, Mount Keeba comes into view as Belinna guides the ship well north of the reef known as the Moluune Parapet and the monstrous sea creatures said to issue from great fissures below it.
Before dark, the ship enters Plumetown harbor revealing a familiar view of the waiting town on the black shores of the immense volcano.
Jim is tense until the vessel has been moored, and shortly before reaching the harbor he'll call Dibbets and Kaul over. "Mates, as you may recall we left a few enemies behind us here--the Siren and this Yacoobe, the Motley Man's master. This was also the last place we saw our old acquaintance Half-Hitch. So keep a weather eye out, hey?"
With the ship docked, the Taldan addresses the crew. "All right, you lot, there'll be plenty of time ashore once we've gotten her squared away and arrangements made for repairs. I don't need to tell you not to spend too much in one place--folks find out what we've got and Kaul and I will be hard put to keep 'em out of our hair, hey? Don't go anywhere alone--I hear you've been in a whorehouse, I want to hear someone else was there to watch. Got it?
"Now, Master Cobb. You know anyone hereabouts who does good work and can get her shipshape?"
Nodding sagely before spitting a blood-flecked gobbet of spittle over the rail and into the foam below "Aye, but where ain't that feckin true eh? Worth keepin watches aboard ship as well... I'll speak tae Rafe an Zoss sep'rate too." pausing for a few moments with a furrowed brow before adding "Any reason why ye didnae call snakey over too? - he's a bit touched like but 'es still kin an crew."
"I'm worried about him...more than usual, I mean. Wanted to hear what you two had to say 'fore I gave him the warning." Jim rubs the back of his neck and grimaces. "Feck, this captaining gig's harder than it looks. You're a right b@stard, Master Dibbets."
"Now, Master Cobb. You know anyone hereabouts who does good work and can get her shipshape?"
Cobb shifts the plug of chew to his cheek as he thinks. "No one specific. Don't have a proper shipworks like Freeport, but the labor and materials here are sure to be better than what we had on that damned island."
Throwing a smiling grimace on his face Dibbets chuckles darkly "Aye, bout tha first complement ye've given me that I've well earned. And dinnae worry eh - ye cannae be worse'n some o' tha sh1te we've sailed wi'."
"Aye. Well, let's get the quartermaster over here and remind him of recent history, hey?" Once Dingus has joined the trio, Jim repeats his warning.
*********************************
"You know what you need, Master Cobb. Take Jenkie, the bos'n, and the quartermaster with--once you're set up, let's get some fresh supplies. I'm a mite sick of moldy hardtack, hey?"
Kaul looks at Jim blankly;
"Worried 'bout Ding? He ain't actin' weird like... just his usual. I like it when he does the fang thing... Proper unnatural like hur-hur-hur..."
The thug descends into hack-saw like chuckling, before pulling himself together under the jaundiced beady of Dibbs.
Kaul mugs a grin to himself at the prospect of land, then straightens up and clears his throat afore going all polite;
"Permission to engage Half-Inch if he shows..?"
Dingus hears the call to join the others on deck, and quickly picks out a few garish items from his new stock of clothing, and hustles to join the others on deck. His strange choice of a mixture of colors, textures, and even gender of clothing is both unsettling and somehow fitting.
"I'm not sure if I hate cities, or jungles more... but if there is a chance to find our old acquaintance then I could spend a bit of time ashore".
It is getting late, but Cobb resignedly prepares to go ashore to find equipment and supplies for repairs. Kaul and Dingus seem a bit distracted with thoughts of vengeance. Jenkie follows along looking hangdog as usual. He stumbles on the gangway and nearly goes over before catching himself.
Jim nods. "Just be sure Finn can't find out."
Kaul nods enthusiastically... perhaps too keenly.
"Hur. Finn won't find the body Skipper... Ding'll eat 'im hur-hur-hur..."
The thug's voice drops to a whisper;
"'E says it can weeks fer a snake to digest its food... That be true Finn'll never know hurrrrr..."
Kaul stifles another hacking chuckle and taps his noggin with hook and a wink.
Cobb scribes a spiral over his chest to ward against any bad luck brought by his officers' crazy talk and swiftly leads the way to the local shipwright's shop. At the door, he tells the bosun and quartermaster that he and Jenkie can handle things: just making arrangements, won't need to pay or move things until the morning.
Dibbs is a bit subdued after making port, remembering a promise made to 'Toly. He seeks out Zoss, inviting the half-elf to accompany him into town before offering a parting shot to Jimmer "Zoss an' I'll take tha Middle Watch?"
To Kaul he adds "Feck aye, take 'im iffin ye can... but dinnae try tae root 'im out of a roach nest iffin he goes divin"
Zoss nods to Dibbets. "Need to get my 10 gold from the bosun first though."he notes following the route the others took. It doesn't take long to find Kaul and Dingus standing outside the shipwrights trying to decide if they are relieved of duty or not.
"We get our shares of the haul here, Captain?" Drake asks for the crew which look ready to explore the leisure town. Meanwhile, Jim Stork and Hinsin argue over who's taking first watch.
Kaul looks at Zoss with a hard stare, as he hands o'er the coin;
"9 Gold... Ain't fer repeatin' myself on why I docked 1..."
Zossrov drops it and accepts 9 Sails. It's better than a hook to the head.