Mahl nods at both Zevo and Sandara, "Aye, I'll try to not kill any one. No promises."
"Recruits, hah!" Samms barks a laugh at Clades. "Not all of us were 'recruited', landlubber." Shaking her head, she swings off to work the lines elsewhere, still chuckling. A glance around finds Mr Plugg eyeing Clades closely, tapping his cat-o-nine-tails.
***
Conchobhar sighs and shakes his head. "She was taken aboard when I was, a couple days before you lot. I don't know much about her, but she's got the most delectable vocabulary..." He looks back at Tan. "I'm here to be a pirate, not to cause trouble... Mr Plugg is watching, we'll have to finish later!"
Master Scourge interrupts Zevo and Mahl talking with Sandara. "What the bloody hells are ye horc idiots doin' to th' Cap'n's ship!?" he shouts upon seeing your awful work. "Just how dumb are ye? It's a rock you scrape back and forth! I thought ye were th' pirate master o' th' seas! Have ye even seen a ship b'fore?"
Scourge lets out an exasperated growl, shaking his head. "Three lashes for th' both of ye at th' Bloody Hour!" He turns away, shouting orders. "Fipps, Aretta, clean up th' mess these half-breed lugheads made, an' teach 'em how ta do it right, or ye'll earn th' lash alongside 'em!"
Fipps, a fat, sour-faced man with a shaved head, and Aretta, a wiry woman with a scarred face and big ears, give you both dirty looks as they move over to fix your failures.
***
Kroop raises an eyebrow as Vanyel fails to reply.
Kroop!!!!! what do you need me to do????
those nasty buggers running this ship put me here to work and i want to eat so what is on the menu for tonight???
perception check of the galley
Clades will just go back to his duties for the rest of the day
I will keep chatting with Tan and it looks like Conchobhar is at least friendly with Tan so I will include him in any chit chat as we work and try and help those two out with any jobs they are doing.
"Pirates are trouble makers by definition, Conchobar." Tan grins as he bids him farewell heading back to work and Clades, "No luck with lady, eh, pretty boy?"
Laughing he points discretely at the swearing halfling down below, "She came a few days before us, so likely not part of the veteran crew inside loop. Also, her good side will get us on C-bar's good side. Might pass that info on to the horcs this evening, although it looks like they may be in for a painful night."
Thinking again, he asks, "You see that Varisian man that was with us earlier anywhere?"
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Tan spots the Varisian man down on the deck with the swabs.
***
"Eh, another poor bastard to aid the cook? Well, you help keep everyone fed, and you get to stay alive. The Cap'n wasn't too kind to my last mate, after his meal was an hour late. You don't wanna know what they did to him." Kroop claps Vanyel on the shoulder. "Best o' luck to you."
Fishguts moves around the cramped galley, grabbing a chopping board, knives and a slab of salted pork. He sets it in front of Vanyel and nods. "Now get to chopping. We gotta get the mid meal ready."
He leans back to watch, taking a swig of pungent alcohol from a metal flask.
"Master Scourge, I ain't no dek hand, I have worked da ships with my mind. I can help the ship in diff'rent ways. Let me at the map, or help picking ports to pilfer, those be my nat'ral skills"
Zevo is going to attempt to use charm person on Scrouge
DC 14 will negates
Clades grins at Tan, "Be the gods I like you Red, I'll kill you last" Clades laughs as he says this, "Sadly the lass was'n no mood to talk, sounds like she actually wants t'be here so I'ma guess'n she is not going to help us in any way." Clades looks over at her one last time, "Shame really." He shrugs, already forgetting about her, "That gnome seemed a friendly sort" glancing down at the halfling, "Now there is a woman after me own heart, she can curse the paint of a barge!
Mahl glowers at Scourge and then grabs the mop from Arretta's hand. "Aye, I'll swab the bloody deck."
Mahl will furiously mop the floor until Scourge leaves the room.
int check
"Master Scourge, I ain't no dek hand, I..."
Master Scourge's eyes flare and he cracks his whip a few inches from Zevo's face, cutting him off before he can say more than a few words. "Six lashes! And if I hear one more peep from ye, it'll be the sweatbox!"
No he will wait for a better opportunity...
As Vanyel works hard throughout the morning helping prepare the mid-day meal, Kroop eventually sits back and watches. Taking a swig from his flask, he gives Vanyel a grin. "You seem to know what yer doin'. Better'n the last guy."
Before the trays of food are sent up for the crew, a beautiful petite woman enters the galley. She wears a form-fitting violet corset and dress, and has long, straight black hair. Kroop stands and hands her a separate plate of food. She looked it over and takes a small taste of each piece.
***
Work continues throughout the day, hard and unrelenting beneath the hot sun, mitigated only by the ever-present sea breeze and a blanket of cumulus clouds in the afternoon. The only real break is for the mid-day meal, when a tray of hard tack biscuits are served with a small trencher of gray stew. The respite is short-lived before your taskmasters have you back on the boards and lines.
As the sun nears the horizon, the entire ship's crew is once again mustered on the topside. This time, the crew is somber and a touch nervous. Mr Plugg, once again at the railing of the quarterdeck, with Captain Harrigan standing behind him at the helm, addresses the crew. You sense a certain ritualistic regularity to the speech.
"We, the crew of the Wormwood, brig of the Free Captain of the Shackles, Barnabas Harrigan, are bound to the rules and traditions of blood and bone, as set and enforced by the Cap'n hisself and those he appoints officers. Should we break them, the Cap'n's justice will be done, quick and sure, so the lesson be learned and debts are paid."
Plugg waves, and a man wearing shackles is brought forward, his clothes are half-soaked, and he is shaking visibly. "Jakes Magpie was caught stealing from the quartermaster's store, and he has admitted the crime. As punishment, he will be slow keelhauled." Plugg wastes no more words and signals to proceed. Jakes starts gulping down huge breaths. "May you enjoy the grace of Besmara's bloody eye and salty crotch!" The crew responds with a collective hock and spit, and Jakes is pulled overboard.
Two full minutes pass, silent but for the grunts of the two crew pulling the rope slowly from the opposite rail. Groans and grunts greet the remains of Jakes Magpie are they are finally brought up from the water. The man's corpse is a bloody mess, the skin shredded and torn in a dozen places, and his head is gone. After a long, uncomfortable pause, Mr Plugg nods and the body is thrown back over the side.
Okay Fishguts, what next boss
What did magpie try steal from the quartermaster.
"Ugh, for theft? That seems a bit much" Tan mumbles to one of his newfound comrades. "But, at least we know what we are dealing with here."
Flipping his hair out of his face, he comes to a realization. "I need to get my hat back. Wonder where our gear is? Anyone know. Hey, Conchobar ...". Tan heads off to ask the gnome that very same question.
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Mahlugul nods appreciatively at the keelhauling, "Aye, that's proper pirate tradition. Nothing teaches respect like a good keelhauling!"
He then turns to his fellow crew members, "Where can I find some grog around here?"
Conchobhar gives Tan a warning glance and a quick head nod towards Mr Plugg. The First Mate does not appear to be finished dolling out the punishments.
"We have some laggards that need correcting. Master Scourge, see too it."
The bosun steps up and points at Mahlugul and Zevo-gark. "Who's first?" Scourge asks with a snarling grin.
Mahlugul laughs nervously, "My mama used to whip me everyday. She said I would never be anything in life. But hey, look at me now?"
Mahlugul winks at the rest of the crew and then walks nonchalantly to the whipping post.
"Wait. Captain, do you realize he is the son of Rickets! Yer know the infamous pirate captain that has long terrorized these waters. Perhaps you have even met him, but he is a mean sun o' beetch, dats for sure! If we work dis right, we could have a great alliance and even mo' plunder for you!"
Zevo is pushing his buccaneers blood for a angle
Intimdate
I keep getting confused, which one is the captain, Scrouge or Plugg? I was directing it towards Mr Plugg as he was the one dishing out the pain.
Plugg is the first mate.
Barnabas is the Captain: we don't want to f~%% with him.
Officers of the Wormwood
Barnabas Harrigan - Free Captain of the Shackles (male human)
Peppery Longfarthing - Sailing Master, old friend of Harrigan's (female human)
Riaris Krine - Master Gunner (human female)
Habbly Quarne - Surgeon and Carpenter (male human)
Mr Plugg - First Mate (male human)
Master Scourge - Bosun (male human)
Master Shiv - Master-at-Arms (male half-orc)
Ambrose "Fishguts" Kroop - Cook (male human)
Cut-throat Grok - Quartermaster (female half-orc)
Kipper - Gunner's Mate (male human)
Patch Patchsalt - Bosun's Mate (female gnome)
"Caulky" Tarroon - Harrigan's cabin girl (human female)
"Owlbear" Hartshorn - Mr Plugg's pet
Just to be clear I wasn't try to F&~& with any of them. I was trying to leverage my campaign trait buccaneers blood where I come from a line of infamous pirates (I made up the name on the fly). So the intent was to actually be truthful in my statements.
Tan nods at Conchobar, but makes it clear he wants to talk with him and then turns back to watch, cringing as Z speaks up.
Muttering to himself, "Need to teach these guys about opportunity and timing. They definitely have courage, though."
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Master Scourge snarls at Zevo, "How many times do I need to tell you to shut up? I don't care who your whore mama slept with!"
"You get your lashes first, you green-blood half-wit!" Scourge gestures, and three pirates shove Zevo towards the main mast, tearing down his shirt and binding his wrists with a leather cord that circles the mast. Zevo is cinched down against the mast, face to the wood.
Scourge then proceeds to quietly administer the lashes, calling out the count as each strike hits Zevo's bare back.
"One!" ...
"Two!" ... ... Zevo sees stars as the second hit lands.
"Three!" ... ... Zevo blacks out.
"Psssh, can't even stand a few lashes..." Scourge scoffs. "He owes three on th' morrow." The pirates unhook Zevo and drop him off on the deck.
"You ready?" Master Scourge asks Mahlugul.
At what time do the wimp the half Orc?
Mahlugal curses when he sees Zevo black out, but he quickly suppresses his anger. "Let's see what you got, Master Scourge."
Mahlugal pulls off his shirt and steps up to the mast.
Master Scourge nods. "Three for you," he confirms as Mahl is bound to the mast. Again, Scourge calls out the strikes.
After the lashes are done, Mahlugul is released, back stung and bloodied, but conscious.
"That's all for today, lads!" Mr Plugg announces. "See to your quarters, and get your supper and rum rations." The crew lets out a hearty cheer, breaking the tension of the Bloody Hour, and begins to disperse.
As Mahlugul is receiving his punishment, Sandara steps over to Zevo-gark and calls out a quiet prayers. Zevo comes to as the pain and shock are alleviated.
Hey Fishguts do you know where my gear is? i could really use it.
i will search the galley as i clean.
what do we need to do for the evening meal?
Tan will reapproach Conchobar with his question from earlier, also whispering "I need a knife, ya know where I can find one?"
Later, approaching Mahl and Zevo. "Gentlemen! Your courage is commendable, but bringing attention to our merry band probably isn't our safest option. Let's do our level best to get a lay of this boat and who's who before we put up any significant resistance, ya?."
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Zevo looking uncomfortable in his own tattered flesh "Aye...That may be a good idea"
Hey Fishguts do you know where my gear is? i could really use it. i will search the galley as i clean. what do we need to do for the evening meal? 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
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Mahl shrugs at Tan, "I do what I want, when I want."
He then smiles, "Let's drink some grog. The first round is on me."
"Your gear? How should I know? Fishguts scoffs. "I don't even know where my crap is most days."
Evening meal is already prepared before the Bloody Hour. Vanyel is released for his meal, rum and rest.
***
After a few night guards are selected, the rest of the crew is gathered down in the lower hold and crew berths. You pass the galley on the way down, taking your evening meal and ration of rum. The meal smells moderately edible, given Vanyel's decent work, though as tired and hungry as you are, anything would smell good. The rum, on the other hand, reeks of potent spirits.
The lower deck is a spacious cargo hold, broken by sixteen pillars that support the deck above. The veteran crew quickly stake off choice areas and set up their hammocks, stringing them between pillars or between pillars and the hull. Small wooden footlockers line the walls, apparently for use by the crew.
***
To Tan, Conchobar shrugs. "Steal one... or buy one from the quartermaster?"
Zevo will just find a piece of pine to lay on, not looking for anymore confrontation this evening.
Tan do you know who has our belongings?
Tan watches folks stake out their territory and then remembers Conchobar's words after Vanyel's question, "Come with me, elf. Let's go see if the quartermaster is around."
Tan will drag Vanyel off to find Grok.
The quartermaster's store is one deck up, in the middle hold just adjacent to the galley. The middle hold is mostly empty, but for a small pen of a dozen pigs, and a number of water barrels and dry food crates.
Tan and Vanyel find the store closed and locked.
I will check with fishguts about the quartermaster
As Vanyel wanders off, Tan looks around the store, checking to see the quality of the lock and the sturdiness of the door before returning to his bunk
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Are we locked in the lower deck, or are we able to wander?
Vanyel finds Fishguts in his cabin (just opposite the galley). He appears to be well into his cups. "I dunno where shhee ish. Drinkin' n' gamblin shlikely 'nuff."
**
The store hatch is quite sturdy: thick oak, banded with iron. The lock looks pretty advanced from a passing glance -- not just a skeleton key and single tumbler type.
**
The crew is free to wander about the lower and middle holds. Access higher appears to be locked and restricted to officers.
**
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yes with the rum and to bed
Yes, Mahlugul will drink with gusto.