|
Whether it was the splash of warm saltwater against your body, the creaking of timbers or the dull thud of waves against a ship's hull, you're roused from slumber to find you are no longer inside the stinking inn of Port Peril, the Formidably Maid, but rather in the stinking recesses of a ship.
You're not alone though, several others are rising from their sleep as well. Observing them, and reaching to yourselves, you realize that your weapons have been lifted from you as well.
Kila groans audibly from the splitting headache he's woken up with. He's had hangovers before, but this feels different and worse. He's not sure why, and assumes that the Formidably Maid must have been serving some nasty rotgut.
Finding himself on a boat he didn't choose to embark, he quickly reaches for his axes... only to find them gone. His hammers are missing, too, and all of his weapons can't have dropped away by accident. The fact he's been disarmed can only be intentional. He lets out a string of unfathomable curses and clutches his head.
"Someone's goin' to the depths for this," he mutters, angrily, looking around for someone who isn't a captive to blame. "I demand to know who's got the stones to confuse Kila Nikora with cargo."
His head pounded and a dull ache seemed to just pester him like a tiny prick right behind both eyeballs. He was not at that inn no no no, in fact he felt the rhytmic swaying of a boat. He took a moment to acclimate himself to the swaying and slowly sat up.
Nutmeg? He murmered aloud almost moments after one of the others began to curse. His eyes widened and he gave a slight wiggle of excitement. Keelhauled!... no no Shang jacked? His tail grew still as he tried to recall the term. Wait he remembered it now.
I think we have been gangpressed yes yes? I read that in a book that pirates often gangpress sailors into serving as crew...
Excitement crept into his voice and his eyes practically glowed in the darkness.
"tell me friend do you really think we have been gangpressed?!? I've always wanted to be an arrr pirate. This is slightly exciting...
He rose up to explore the room they were in ears twitching and tail lashing all the while.
Kila glares at the talking cat-person for a moment, considering.
"I hope you're wrong, 'friend.' If you're right, then being press-ganged is not gonna be nice. If that's what's goin' on here, then I expect the bilge rats that took us keep conditions so bad they couldn't get a pirate to want to join 'em of their own accord."
He glares at the cat-person for another moment.
"Isn't that right, you filthy, mother-loving..." he shouts at any of the captors that can hear him, trailing off into various and sundry unfavorable comparisons to all sorts of animals, vermin and diseases.
A smallish lump of cloth resolves itself into a furred humanoid with a long scaly rail.
This doesn't smell like my ship, where are we, and who are you?
Hmm, Oil of Taggit. It appears someone slipped me a Mickey...
You see the ratfolk reach into his voluminous robes searching for something...Where are you Tavi? Don't tell me you got drunk again?
Hmm... Cat, I hope we can work together without our racial heritages getting in the way.
Human Kila Nikora, here is some more light for you. Dancing lights in a 10' wide diamond pattern.
Ah, but I know your name and you don't know mine. I am called Tik Tik Scaletail, but you can call me Tik Tik. And I am also an involuntary guest about this vessel.
Calah was awoken by loud shouting coming from nearby. She wasn't sure what the shouting was about, exactly, but the shouter sounded angry. She remained laying and attempted to order her thoughts. She definitely remembered standing on the dock before taking a blow to the back of her head, but that didn't explain the oily taste in her mouth or how she ended up in her current predicament. She could make an educated guess on that one, however. It was likely--LIGHT! the room was abruptly bathed in light, causing Calah to flinch and jerk her head away from said light. This in turn exacerbated her existing headache and caused her to groan aloud.
She slowly and gingerly sat up, holding her head, and moved against a wall. The others here were likely in the same boat she was but she wasn't going to trust them right off the bat. In her pain and grogginess, she didn't even think to hide her burns. Looking at the others and not sure which one was responsible for the lights, she settled on addressing a point in the air equidistant to the other three. Gesturing at the godsforsaken lights, she asked "Was that really necessary?"
Ah, the blue lady awakens. Yes, our fellow captive here is not as well endowed with the ability to see in the dark as the rest of us. And also, how else was I supposed to know that you are that lovely shade of blue?
He shut his eyes quickly, the tiny green slits of his eyes searching the room quickly, the lashing of his tail certainly didnt slow.
He did blink and tilt his head looking at the rat kin his head tilting to the side slightly. He had never seen a walking talking rat before. It was more intruiging.
"I like food that doesnt talk to me yes yes. And more specifically fish fish."
He said fully studdying the others now that their was light.
It is a bother to keep refreshing the lights, let us use this instead while we await an audience with our captors.
Tik Tik rummages in his pack and pulls out a torch that bursts into magical flame once removed from its tight confines.
Perhaps we should aquaint each other with our histories and merits while we wait? It will help pass the time and may prove useful if there is an imminent struggle. I am, as I have said, Tik Tik, a sailor and a dabbler in the arcane arts. I have traveled the seas in my family's boat all my life, and have some affinity with it. Tavi here, he pulls a somewhat wet and grumpy looking mongoose from his robes, is my friend and companion, and should also not be considered as food.
Kila watches as the others come to consciousness around him, each seemingly stranger than the last. Perhaps they'd been captured by a travelling freak show. He's heard of such things before, but that wouldn't really explain why he's here, so kidnapped by pirates is probably still the most likely scenario.
"I'm Kila," he says, sullenly. "Most of my life I've been a pirate on the Karaboudjan," he pauses for a moment glaring around at the others in case they want to make something of the ship's name or his life on it, "until she was destroyed with almost all hands by a blasted Kraken." He spits after the word for emphasis. "I had just managed to float my way to Port Peril and was just starting to look for a new crew to join when I woke up here. Stupid nincompoops shoulda just asked. I probably would've agreed to join 'em freely, if they hadn't pulled a stunt like this. I take my freedom of choice seriously." He pauses again with an extremely sour expression on his face.
"And I had better get my axes and hammers back in the same condition I left 'em!" he adds, loudly, for the benefit of anyone listening.
"I'm Calah, a navigator. My last ship was burned to the waterline. This is unlikely to help me recoup my losses." she says dejectedly. Running her hands through her hair in frustration, she looked at the last individual, waiting for him to introduce himself.
I am called Rrruh
He began, rolling the r's in a semblance of a small purr. He smiled afterwards all teeth.
I have been called Rue though by those who have a hard time with it. I have never served on a big ship like this no no no, but I used to help on my families fishing vessel before... before... [/b]
He paused obviously having a hard time continuing. After a moment whatever sadness tried to take hold of him he shrugged off.
Like friend Kila, I would have said yes yes to being a pirate...arrrgh. I have read books you see.
He nodded his tail swaying slightly as his ears twitched in excitement. It was clear he had no idea what being a pirate would honestly be like at all.
From amidst a few of the others awakening within the hold one more seems interested in the small band that's coalescing in the filthy ship bilges.
A Vanaran woman approaches, her fur bearing a slightly mottled pattern from the staining of dirt and filth. "I had hoped that my adventures on the high seas had begun on a slightly more voluntary note." She extends a hand towards Rrruh first. "Greetings, I'm Zalhar Anibu. It's good to meet someone as excited for this as I am. I have a fondness of the sea and the bounty of worthy quarry it has."
Before further introductions could be made, the booming sound of several heavy footsteps come from above. Before the trap door in the ceiling opens up...
Kila mutters inaudible curses the whole time he climbs the rope ladder. For Kila, they may as well have lowered a proper set of stairs for how easy that is.
"Yer captain's a codfish's lung," he offers, at the top. "Takin' self-respectin' pirates doesn't inspire much in the way of loyalty or enthusiasm. Never woulda done somethin' like this on the Karaboudjan. We got our crew as free men!"
Tik Tik recovers his torch and climbs up the ladder. Not nearly as easily as Kila, but successfully none the less.
He stands silently at the top, wondering how the next few minutes are going to go. His fingers subconsciously preparing to cast if things go pear shaped.
Well hello friend.
He began excited gladly taking the Vanaran's hand. He had at least seen a Vanaran before, on one of the trade ships that used to stop by the small colony his family and people had lived at.
He politely waited for the others to make their way up the ladder before shooting his way up it torwards the deck his tail happily lashing back and forth in excitement.
Zalhar passed by Calah on her way to the ladder, looking to the blue woman. "Much as I like the lure of this life, I think it'll be better to oblige the yelling man for now, coming?"
Wary of her aching head, Calah gingerly got to her feet and made her way to the ladder. Climbing up and out into the light, she shielded her eyes and looked around while waiting for whatever was going to happen next to happen.
|
|
With all the shanghaied passengers out of the bilges, the group of pirates escorts them to the top deck, where several dozen men and women of the crew have gathered. Standing over them on the poop deck is a middle aged Taldan man, his brow creased with bemusement. At the bow, a stringy man is tied up, with a rope going across the deck from where he's tied, and also going over the ship's rails.
"Jakes Magpie!" yelled the Taldan man. "Yer as foul a lot as any to be on this crew, but e'en a bilge rat knows to stay in its place and bein' content with it's share. Ye've tried time an' again to take more than what's owed to ye, raiding the quartermaster. For this, the third time ye've been caught, as Captain Barnabas Harrigan o' The Wormwood, I sentence you to a keelhauling. Besmara show ye what ye deserve, dog!"
The escorts roughly push the others towards the tied man. "Pay 'tention you lot," he instructs with a snarl. "This'll be you if'n you cause trouble."
Captain Barnabas gestures with his hand from atop the poop deck, and with that several of the crew pull on the rope strung across the deck, pulling Jakes Magpie over the railing, and dragging along the outside of the hull.
The man screams frantically as his feet fall out of vision, his panicked blubbering still coming up for a few moments before going silent. Half a minute passes as the pirates continue to pull on the line. Those not involved in the pulling begin to gather around the other side of the ship, and several moments later some of them point and gawk excitedly. The source of their amazement is pulled back on deck, Jakes Magpie, screaming scarcely a minute ago, has been torn to ribbons and drowned, a grisly fate, made worse with an indignant burial at sea as he is cut from his restraints and pushed back over the railing into the ocean.
Jakes Magpie's body floats behind the ship, leaching out blood into the surrounding waters, before a shark's fin appears to be approaching.
Point taken, Captain. Though I don't appreciate the allusion to the "bilge rat."
"Exactly what I'm talkin' about," says Kila as though he's talking to a small child. "We only ever had ta do that twice the whole time I can remember on my old ship, and I was there my whole life. Free men who make agreements are far more likely ta be content, see. You're all goin' about this all wrong, ya blathering incontinents. I'm shocked this whole boat hasn't erupted into mutinous flames by now."
Tik Tik sidles up to the angry human and whispers: Psst, Kila. You angling for a keelhauling yourself?
Kila regards Tik Tik for a moment, trying to understand what might have prompted the question.
"Whaddaya mean?" he asks back, quietly in a startlingly calm voice that represents a complete reversal of his attitude. "Pirates don't take anything ya say seriously unless ya shout an' call 'em names while yer at it."
When Kila began to ...discuss the error in judgement about the way in which they were welcomed aboard the ship the black furred feline slid over a few steps to not be standing as close to him...especially considering what they just did to that magpie fellow. He made a mental note that stealing was indeed bad.
"Ooh, keelhauling, "murmured Calah sarcastically. "I wonder what other ancient and outdated practices this ship keeps?"
|
|
Amidst the various derogatory comments of the ship's disciplinary methods, the sound of leather straps twisting together can be heard. Turning around, you and the other 'recruits' see a new man, bald with the exception of a long jet-black ponytail and hand-length braided beard glaring at you all.
The arm gripping his cat-o'-nine-tails tenses with muscle as he grits his teeth. "Alright!" he barks, "the captain has tasked me with turning ye miserable know-nothing landlubbers into proper crewmates. Ye work for yer plunder, and ye'll work hard. For that, I've got tests to see which of you is good at what. First off, we need riggers."
Mr. Plugg points upwards to the crow's nest, and begins speaking slightly slower, as if to individuals who don't have Taldane as their first language. "That there's the crow's nest. Lookouts use it to spot things at a distance. Now I want ye to climb up there, and then climb back down, do it quickly now!"
Mr. Plugg cracks his cat-o'-nine-tails in the air to emphasize his point. "Get on up there!" he yells.
Mr. Plugg, sir. I am very acquainted with ship board life, having lived on one my whole life, but sadly scurrying through the rigging is not my strength. I know many other useful things on or below decks however.
For once Kila doesn't comment right away, but he also doesn't hurry either. Instead he rolls his eyes, saving his energy for whatever comes after and taking the easy way up. It's something he's been doing for so long, the thought that it could be a test is frankly absurd to him.
"What's next?" he asks when he gets back down. "Testin' to see if we can breathe an' recognize colors?"
|
|
Mister Plugg scrutinizes Tik Tik as they struggle with the ropes.
"You there! Rat!" Mr. Plugg yells, approaching Tik Tik and brandishing his flog. "Think I can't tell when someone isn't trying?!" With a crack of his cat-o'-nine-tails, Mr. Plugg gives a swift lash to Tik Tik.
With that, Mr. Plugg folds his arms. "Now do it proper-like, rat!"
As each of the groups make their way upwards Mr. Plugg nary falls short of shouting insults at the entire group of recruits the entire way, but the most venomous remarks are saved for Tik Tik.
Normally he wasnt one to show off, but everyone seemed so angry...it was not like the books he had read at all... Maybe it was a test, yes yes a test to see if they had what it took to be pirates or something.
When the man brandished his weird little whip thingy and cracked it he flew to the mast and climbed up it as fast as he could.
Zalhar, eager to complete the test now to tend to the wounded ship-mate, worked with all speed to scale the rigging, however, her heavier garb leaves her not quite able to meet her feline compatriot's alacrity.
At the bottom, Zalhar awaits Tik Tik to complete their climb, then moves in. "If I may check to ensure your wound is clean? Death by disease is a terrible way for a hunter to depart this world.""
I am sorry that my efforts don't meet your approval. However if I am to safely make it up and down to and from such a precipitous height, I must use all methods at my disposal. As I said, I know my strengths, and they are not feats of strength. I eagerly await you future tests, which I am pretty sure I will do better at.
Tik Tik looks at the strange monkey-like humanoid, Thank you for your generous offer of assistance, however my wound while painful is not serious. Let us save your abilities until they may be more necessary.
|
|
After several tries, Calah fails to make much progress on the rigging, and is eventually called back down by Mister Plugg.
"Outclimbed by a rat. A blue-skinned hussy is what you are!"
Plugg's apparent favored weapon slashes a painful gash in Calah's arm. "You'll do well to shape up in the coming days," he says, turning then to Rruh. "And you, don't think that just that demonstration means you'll get off easy if I catch you slacking. You're part of the rigging crew."
With that Mister Plugg balls his fist and sets it on his hip. "Now, which of you has any skill in cooking? Kroop needs a hand with the food, and I don't care for eating watery slop and dust-dry biscuits for supper..."
"Ya really don't wanna let me anywhere near the galley," says Kila, crossing his arms. "I'm still mighty bitter about this whole thing, and sure any food I make would show it. How much salt do ya think ya can handle at once?"
I am familiar with cauldrons. However my teacher didn't cook in hers. I am sure I could prepare food, however given my people's ability to eat just about anything, I am not sure I'd make food to everyone else's liking.
"I know next to nothing of cooking," said Calah, nursing her arm. "Instead of tests or asking about specific tasks, have you considered perhaps asking us what our strengths are?"
|
|
Ignoring the comments questioning his technique, Mister Plugg pokes a meaty finger towards Tik Tik. "Fishguts Kroop knows what I like to eat, if'n you know how to cook without setting fire to the lower decks, you're the cook's mate. Head down to the galley and report to 'im."
Turning to Calah, Kila and Zalhar, Mister Plugg scowls. "For the rest 'o you lot, you'll be reporting to Master Scourge as swabs."
With that, Mister Plugg leads Rrruh up to some of the rigging, that he may begin his tasks.
Soon thereafter, Master Scourge emerges from the captain's cabin, and sets to commanding other swabs on the deck before he notices the others. "Landlubbers, is Plugg done with you yet? Which of you sorry salt-licking barnacles are my new swabs?"
I, Tik Tik will go where you desire. Tik Tik heads to where he expects the galley to be. Shaking his head about the whole shouting and swearing part of being a pirate. Things were much more polite among his family on his ship... Must be a big folk thing...
"I'm as much a landlubber as you are," answers Kila with narrowed eyes. "I s'pose it's too much to hope that means yer not talkin' to me, though. If Plugg's that sorry excuse for a talent scout, then yeah. He's done with us." Kila nods to the door Scourge came out of, knowing that sooner or later he's going to get it, big time, but it's better to find out just how far that line is, and how much he can get away with, while he's still fresh and a little insolence is expected. "Who're you supposed to be, anyway? The bo'sun or the cabin girl?"
"There doesn't appear to be a landlubber among us, not that you actually care." Calah said testily, before freezing at Kila's sally.
From up in the rigging he watched the going on's of this particular ship, and his new friends below. This was certainly not how he expected pirates to behave no no no, had his storybooks been wrong? He frowned and went about his work, his tail lashing about in mild annoyance as he pondered things.
Zalhar keeps a terse expression at the exchange of insults going around before interceding. "Yep, swabs, all three of us, Zalhar, Calah and Kila," she says, gesturing to herself and then the others in turn.
|
|
As Rrruh's day proceeds, he's given training on the proper securing and storage of ropes before being left to continue the work on his own. When up on the rigging, he's able to tell that the ship is still in shallower waters, but not so close as to see land. He does, however, catch the occasional view of a dorsal fin poking up from the water's surface, before it dips back.
Meanwhile, Master Scourge steps up to Kila, looking down on him. "I'm the man sharks tell horror stories about. Say something else witty and you get to find out why." He waits then, silently daring Kila to give a reason for reprisal...
|
|
With a bit of time, Tik Tik is able to find the ship's galley. The spot where he finds the cook himself is stagnant with rum and ale-laden breath. The cook lies slouched against a barrel of flour, a half-empty bottle clutched in his hand, though he spins it around by the neck, and stares at the wall across from him, some lucidity in him.
He looks over, and gives a smile, albeit one missing a third of its teeth. "Well now, you're a very big mousy... Have you come to be ol' Kroop's help after getting big an' strong from my cooking?" The man's speech is somewhat slurred, though tinged more with self-deprecation than any malice. His hopeful grin fades slightly as he tries running his hand through his greasy hair, but almost smacks himself in the face with the bottle he was clutching.
Kila stares down Scourge, deciding whether or not he really wants to go through with further antagonizing this man. Ultimately, he decides that he's taken this far enough, and he'll save this beating for another, more important, battle. If he's going to have to be a swab, he would prefer to do it mostly intact. He doesn't want to appear to be intimidated, however, so he scowls back silently waiting for the other party to make the next move, muscles tensed for anything just in case.
Yes, I am your new help, Kroop. Not brought aboard the ship by choice, but willing to work for my daily food, and even willing to help you make it. I am called Tik Tik, but I guess you can call me what you desire. Where do I start?
|
|
Scourge eventually relaxes. "Thought so, maybe there's a brain 'tween the lot of you after all."
He points to Zalhar first. "You, I saw you had a spring in your step, you'll be running messages for me today." Turning to Calah and Kila. "Today you'll both be bringing out ropes from below decks and securing them. Look lively now!"