Mel continues to sit quietly listening to the exchange but ever watchful
Free men you say?
The man considers your group for a second and the smiles broadly. Excellent! The man clearly moves his hand from his weapon and instead reaches out offer it to Quillin. Free Captain Merrill Pegsworthy! I know the lines of what is soon to not be the "Man's Promise" I ran into her not too long ago. Harrigan is looking for that one. Fumin angry he is. But that pox ridden son of a whore can look in the Maelstrom itself before I ever let on what's become of it!
Knowledge(local):
--> what do I know about something. Rolling per the OOC instruction.
Shaso emerges from the dissipating fog after seeing the confrontation become friendly.
for Harrigan
for Pegsworthy
Shaso seems to relax a little upon recognizing Pegsworthy.
Knowledge Local for Pegsworthy.
Sooty settles in as there seems that talking has broken out in the middle of a potential fight.
"Pegsworthy, eh? You called us right and anyone who hates that bastard Harrigan is OK by me." Quillin shakes hands with the other captain.
"It sounds like you've done well. If you're looking for Rickety's Squibs, you're at the right place. I'm Quillin and this is my crew such as it is: the lunkhead behind me is Pfarna, the pretty boy is Mel, that's Shaso coming out of the fog and Sooty is lurking around here somewhere."
Pfarna glowers at Quillin for a moment:
Lunkhead? We need to have a bit of a discussion regarding your social skills captain.
She then looks up at Pegsworthy:
Can't say I have heard of you. However, my mates seem to vouch for you, and as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
She then offers hher hand
Well met Captain Pegsworthy.
Mel relaxes a little at the name.
"Pleased t' meet ye Cap'n..ye wouldn't happen t' 'ave a location for that scurvy son of a sea cook would ye only there's some o' us would like to have...words wi'him"
Pegsworthy accepts the various introductions and introduces his own crew (whose names are not important enough to merit at the moment unless you really feel a strong desire to get to know them)
At Mel's comments the captain barks a harsh laugh, No I do not and I prefer it that way. Especially with my luck of late I am in no condition to take that bastard on. He jerks a thumb at the ship out at sea. Taking that damn thing nearly took out my own ship. So I got one ship laid up half a week from here for honest repair while I see the new one set up proper. I'd been to Squibs before but its been some time. I see he has, ah, expanded.
"It can wait I guess..after all as the Scarzni say Revenge is a dish best eaten cold..."
"Hmm, all Mel's talk of sea cooks and dishes makes me think it might be time for some victuals. We should head up and see what Hake's got. Oh and I nearly forgot to introduece Quinn here. She's our pirate priest."
Pegsworthy turns to his folks and tells them to return to his new ship and bring it farther in the bay and "sheet it down" to hide the lines while the wait their turn. Having taken Quillin's comment as an invitation the pirate captain moves to follow the group as they lead on...
Socializing and food.
Pfarna is interested in any rumors of wealth to be found about the islands, or any galleons that might have Chellish loot aboard, she really does not like the Chellish.
Sooty will follow behind the group as it passes him, his crossbow sitting over his shoulder. He chews the end of his beard as considers the situation.
Shaso tags along looking for food, drink, and rumor.
Mel finds herself in agreement with much of Pfarna's attitude towards Chellies...
The lot of you arrive in the small "bar" that situates the center of the manor house and find it as odor laden and hot as you did previously. Pesgworthy lets out Besmara be merciful! At the ripe stench. Regardless drinking is drinking and food eating is happening though the raucous behavior of before is replaced with a more sullen tension over the recent wasp attack.
As the lot of you mingle you mostly hear talks of the wasps taking some of the workmen and sailors that had been mingling (Eventually Sandara will confirm that you are now missing three crew members but she isn't too worried about that at this point.) Dark magic, ill fortunes and all manner of other notions are put forward as to why but a couple of long time workers of the Squibs note that extreme heat has driven them out of the jungle in years past and this summer has been HOT.
Pegsworthy and Hake rib each other over the situation at the docks, the captain taking the hostility from the old man with a decent amount of grace. Hake grumbles that is lookout seems to have faltered and "suggests" that someone should look into why so that work doesn't suffer any further delays. This suggestion carries a meaningful look at Quillin.
Another idea that seems to gain traction amongst the various folks swilling the local brew is that this new crew and a new ship needs to make a "name" for itself. Treasures need to be won, adventures had and a reputation built. Considering the amount of trouble that got the Man's Promise to the Squibs and everything that has happened since there is a mixture of fear and excitement about what might come next.
Hake reports that you are on track. Two more days and you can leave under cover of dark on the third night. He reiterates that this is assuming there are no more interruptions to which he drunkenly waggles a finger at Pegsworthy who good naturedly feigns apology.
Hake suggests that if the lot of you would go poking about for the lookout, he might have a notion of what to do after you set sail. Pegsworthy also mentions that once the day is done and he has seen to his won business he would be up for a "getting to know you" drink with the soon to be captain Quillin and crew to see if there are ways they might help each other.
"I would take a rowboat over to check on the lookout, it beats sitting around all day. Anyone want to join me? Then I would be glad to sit down and hear some of your exploits, Captain Pegsworthy."
"I'm along for the ride, Shaso. Next surprise might not be as pleasant as Pegworthy's visit. I damn sure hope Hake is better at squibbing than he is at managing this place. Damned Hake. It's more like Rickety Shake Down, sonuvab!&@!."
"Dump him down the Rickety Jakes and Poop on him! Poop on him!" Smudge cackles.
Pfarna rolls her eyes at Quillin's rather poor attempt at a joke.
Yeh, might as well take the boat. I could use a chance to stretch my legs. Things are a little cramped here. Not the least of which is the captain's humor.
"I'm up for a trip" Mel adds "This place is beginning to get on my nerves"
Sooty drunkenly agrees to accompany the crew to investigate the missing lookout. He nods at Pfarna mentions getting a boat, "I'm not for anymore tramps through the damned jungle, they are as hot and humid as Gozreh's sack."
Quillin stands at the bow of the little boat and shouts orders, "Everybody grab an oar, shove off!"
Your resident cleric waves you off to see after crew wrangling while the lot of you pile into a smallboat and row the inlet. Surprisingly as you get closer to the sea proper you get occasional gusts of wind that is actually something approaching "cool" though the beating sun reflecting off the water does its fair share to counteract the effect. Strong currents pull the boat down towards the island and Hakes which is what makes the rowing harder and longer to do...though clearly (as you pass the landscape by) way easier to navigate than the jungle.
Rowing for a while your destination comes into view. The small cove that Hake has co-opted features a naturally narrowing inlet that approaches with the other side of the island. Craggy bluff and sheer drop offs make the Westerly side unapproachable at all but the Easterly side is a much more "gentle" slope from Hakes location. Sitting atop the rock crag that overlooks the entrance to the cove a makeshit hut on stilts sit atop facing out to sea, a lookout for those that might approach Hake's and give the estate a chance to make ready.
At the bottom of the crag another rowboat is landed and sits idle. As you pull in you see rough hew steps begin some 15 to 20 feet up with a mostly vertical climb on rough rock takes you from the sand to where the steps begin. From there is looks like stems and outcroppings of rock will take you to the top some 100 feet off the beach. No one yells at your from up top or seems to be moving as you approach to land.
Quillin yells orders to land the boat, not that they are particularly needed, and turns his attention to his gray parrot. "Why don't you take a little fly-by and see what's up there, Smudge?"
The bird preens himself ignoring the gnome until Quillin produces a couple kola nuts he found in the jungle."Make it worth your while," the wizard promises.
Smudge stops preening and inspects the nuts with a curious eye. With a squawk of annoyance the bird launches itself upward grousing, "Smudge so this! Smudge do that!"
Pfarna steps out of the boat onto the beach, but stays close to the boat, nervously tossing her cutlass back and forth from hand to hand, twirling it around every third or forth toss in an almost hypnotic pattern.
While waiting for Smudge, Shaso looks for signs of activity.
After sleeping off his buzz in the prow of the rowboat, Sooty wearily steps onto the beach and studies the rock face before them. He loads his crossbow with a grappling bolt and ties his rope to it. He fires up to a likely spot to hook onto where the steps begins, trying to snag the rock. Once the hook is well seated, he hands the rope to Pfarna with a smirk. "After you, m'lady."
Pfarna looks down at the dwarf:
Orcs may be known for charge first, ask questions . . . orcs don't ask questions. Myself, I have a little more human blood in me. I think I will wait for the bird to return.
Sooty rolls his eyes, "The bird's gonna come back and say it sees something or it doesn't see something. Either way we are goin' up this cliff, so get a move on lass. I got more drinking to do a'fore we ship out."
Shaking her head, and baring an objection by Quillin, Pfarna sheathes her cutlass, perhaps the first time you have ever seen her without the blade in her hands, and begins to climb up the rope.
She makes it up the rope with ease, actually not even using the rope for most of the climb.
Smudge reports a body but no movement in the small lookout post on the top of the bluff. *insert appropriate Smudge like parrot joke here*
Shaso climbs up and begins to investigate the body.
Mel grins slings her trusty crossbow and begins to climb the rope.
She manages to make it look effortless as her slight form follows the large Half Orc woman upwards.
having some trouble at home, might be monday before I can post.
The lot of you climb the rope (I assume Quillin follows) and reach the rough plateau of the bluff and see the lookout. A rough platform that is 10 x 10 has been placed on stilts about 15 feet off the ground. The platform features a rough ladder cobbled from driftwood and a palm frond and grass cover to help shade from the sun. The ladder is lashed to the platform at the top and seems to be relatively sturdy though likely not too good for too many people at once.
Pfarna looks up the ladder.
This does not look very safe. I'll see what is up there. . . If I fall, you all are in big trouble.
With that she starts climbing the rickety ladder.
Climb:
Shaso looks around while Pfarna climbs, searching for tracks or other clues. "So you see anything up there?"
Sooty is silent through the climb up the cliff, but once he reaches the top, "Ain't this a wondrous spot. Hake better had paid the man well, because it's seriously lackin' in amenities." He starts working his way around the campsite, taking his time. When Pfarna works his way up the ladder he yells up, "Don' be touching anythin' up there, girlie. I wanna have a look at it."
Pfarna climbs the ladder and though the occasional blast of hot sea air tests the driftwood ladder, it is more sturdy than it appears. The half orc is able to quickly scale to the platform and is greeted by a fetid smell of released bowels.
An older man lies half in and out of a canvas cot, a morningstar having fallen from his hands and many broken rum bottles littered on the ground. His face is controrted in pain and a light ring of foam cakes the old man's lips. He s unshoed and wearing a light linen shirt and pants and both are stained with blood and black ichor that seems to originate from a wound in the man's stomach.
Shaso(and Sooty) note that a keen eyed red parrot hovers at the jungle's edge below bobbing it head at the group as the look about the area.
Sooty also sees a pair of large boars rooting around the jungle edge apparently looking for food. Given that they are bigger than Quillin perhaps it was best you took the water route here.