The passenger ship Sister’s Grace is just over a week into its journey from the Inner Sea to northern Garund. It was far from a luxury ship, but it did have all the amenities needed for comfortable travel. The mess was well stocked and the living quarters were as comfortable as any inn. The crew has made this trip dozens of times before, but they seem uneasy.
You’ve heard them murmuring about the unseasonably harsh weather, and it only seems to be getting worse. The harsh wind and rain have forced most of the passengers below deck, and the high waves leave the ship at a near constant tilt. Still, the captain assures everyone that there is no need to worry. He visits the mess at dinner time on the 4th straight day of storming to speak to the passengers and crew.
”There’s nothin’ unnatural about the storm at sea. Just give ‘er the respect she deserves, pray to whatever gods’ll listen, and we’ll make it through just fine.”
Richard had stowed his gear on the first day of travel. He was wearing simple cotton clothes. He'd hired a tailor to create clothing he was more familiar with. The dark brown shirt buttoned up to an open collar. His pants were a pale imitation of dockers. One day, the out-of-place man would have to 'invent' the zipper.
His sturdy leather boots were still very new and very fine. An observer would not know the boots were a going away gift. They meant more to him than he is currently aware.
The rolls of the ship, also rolls his stomach. He gestures to the captain. "What about a port in the storm? Maybe the gods are busy."
At a leaning table, on a leaning ship called Sister's Grace, Jolis Caliean is doing a fair bit of balancing his meal on it's tray and eating his dinner, all the while listening to captain.
Speaking more to himself, the young warrior states, "Yeah. I'm sure this storm will stop soon, unless Besmara has something to do with it..I guess."
Most of the passengers are in mess, trying, with some failing to enjoy their meals. Sadly, due to the storm, few of the other passengers have been up for casual conversation. Which is a shame considering the majority of the passengers are female.
I like my odds!
Jolis listens in to the conversation of an older man having with the weary captain.
The young female monk, who has said nothing to anyone but the captain when she came on ship. With the storm she takes the change the storm officer to practice her balancing skills.
Standing in deck, as the ship rolls, she steps and moves with ease as the ship moves under her. Her simple worldly good, rapped close around her body. Her hand movements show training in the way of the open hand.
”There’s nothin’ unnatural about the storm at sea. Just give ‘er the respect she deserves, pray to whatever gods’ll listen, and we’ll make it through just fine.”
"Tell that to poor Viska here." Valeriya stroked her erstwhile companion reassuringly. The fox had been frightened and stressed by the storm ever since it started. "There, there. The Savored Sting wouldn't let anything happen to something so adorable. We'll be fine."
Looking over to the pretty woman with the scared fox, Jolis comments, "Has Viska not been able to eat anything these past 4 days?"
"Viska dose not like the idea of so much water all around, so many odd smells, and no land to hid in."
She says, stopping her exorcises and coming over to them.
"I'm Miya, nice to meet you"
The rolling seas do not seem to bother the tattooed half-orc woman who calmly eats her dinner. The ship rocking back and forth has a certain rhythm to it, and the occasional clap of thunder reverberates in her chest like a drum beat of the gods. She eyes the room full of humans warily--she seems to be the only half-breed among them. She had found a modicum of acceptance after fleeing from orc lands, but most who interacted with her treated her with fear or barely hidden revulsion.
That was the irony then. The orcs found her too pretty. The humans found her too ugly. And so she set off for distant lands, far from judgment and scorn.
The captain and the man in strange clothes speak of divine intervention, but Grelda scoffs at the notion. "The gods care not for our struggles. We will sink or swim on our own merits. The only prayer I will speak is that your crew is as skilled as you claimed it to be when we set off."
The young warrior smiles and nods his head in greeting to the short-haired blonde and the half-orc, happy to have someone to speak with.
"Hello, ladies. Name's Jolis Cailean, nice to meet you, too."
"Grelda Bonehammer," the half-orc grunts in acknowledgement towards the tall man. She idly taps a rhythm on the table as she goes back to her meal.
Vitranna, stays aloof and alone, ignoring her companions for the most part. She enjoys the storms lashing the ship and stands near the prow of the Sister's Grace as much as possible, her ceremonial spear planted firmly against the deck and leaning into the wind, listening carefully for the storm spirits to speak to her.
Hearing the captain's words, Vitranna nods in agreement.
"Wise words for a Heathen Captain. My people speak and listen to the wind and storm spirits, hearing their stories and heeding their wisdom daily. These storms are a good sign that my journey is blessed by the spirits and the Voice of Thunder himself."
Valeriya nods in agreement with Miya. "The rocking of the boat and the thunder have not done him well either. But I appreciate your concern, Jolis. And it is good to meet you too, Miya. My name is Lera."
She fumbles about in her pouch for a second and fetches some ginger root. "If anyone is feeling seasick, I have some ginger root for a very modest price," Valeriya says as she chews on the ginger.
"Wise words for a Heathen Captain. My people speak and listen to the wind and storm spirits, hearing their stories and heeding their wisdom daily. These storms are a good sign that my journey is blessed by the spirits and the Voice of Thunder himself."
Soaking in the awkwardness for a few seconds, Jolis remarks, "Well..you can't ask for a better endorsement than that, can you?" The absolomian holds up a hand, rejecting the offer for ginger root.
"Grelda Bonehammer," the half-orc grunts in acknowledgement towards the tall man. She idly taps a rhythm on the table as she goes back to her meal.
The name still sparked a mental image of a Norwegian dominatrix's Instagram handle. The visage of Grelda when he entered the stateroom had taken the scientist aback. He did his best not to show it. She reminded him of an Orion slave girl from Star Trek. While he tried not to make the woman feel uncomfortable, he was caught a few times staring at her, only to look away quickly and fidget a bit.
While not particularly good at small talk, he did make an effort. "I noticed your drum kit. Are you a musician?"
Grelda eyed the little man warily. Even for a human, his clothes were strange, and his accent even stranger. But the way he kept stealing glances at her was nothing new.
"Yes. And no. It is more complicated than that," she replied.
Richard smiles at her. "Most everything is, isn't it?" He says while spreading his hammock to sit in. His awkward manipulation of the sleeping apparatus made it clear that he has never used one before. Weaving back and forth, he crosses his legs in a figure four position to give him more stability.
"My mother had me take violin lessons, but I never really had the knack. I was far better with algorithms, than rhythms." Like most of his jokes, he knew this one would not hit its target, but he could not help himself. "Are you part of a music band? It's been a while since I saw anyone play live."
"Wise words for a Heathen Captain. My people speak and listen to the wind and storm spirits, hearing their stories and heeding their wisdom daily. These storms are a good sign that my journey is blessed by the spirits and the Voice of Thunder himself."
"Er...yeah, see! Blessed by the spirits, we are. We got nothin to worry 'bout." The captain isn't quite sure whether he's been insulted or complimented, but he latches on to the voice that seems to be agreeing with him and ignores the rest.
Unfortunately, most of the crew don't seem to be any more at ease - perhaps they are not the spiritual type. The handful with crudely carved holy symbols of Gozreh or Desna around their necks seem to take some comfort.
She fumbles about in her pouch for a second and fetches some ginger root. "If anyone is feeling seasick, I have some ginger root for a very modest price," Valeriya says as she chews on the ginger.
A couple of the greener looking passengers fumble over towards Valeriya to inquire about the ginger root. They look desperate for anything that might ease their stomachs. Another man attempts to stand before immediately returning to his seat, clutching the table in front of him for dear life. "Aye. I'll have some of that.
Grelda blinked at his attempt at humor. She didn't know what the word he used meant.
"No. I march to the beat of my own drum." Her flat tone of voice made it unclear whether she was making her own attempt at a joke.
Frowning at the others simple motion sickness, Vitranna's upper lip curls in disdain before she can hide it completely to the offer of ginger.
"Medicinal aids should be used for the worst of times, not doled out for a mere childish weakness of stomach."
"Er...yeah, see! Blessed by the spirits, we are. We got nothin to worry 'bout." The captain isn't quite sure whether he's been insulted or complimented, but he latches on to the voice that seems to be agreeing with him and ignores the rest.
Richard gets more animated. "Seriously? A few words from the storm groupie about the 'wisdom in the wind' and you completely dismiss anchoring off the coast to weather the storm? It's a good thing she didn't mention the wisdom in breaking wind. We'd be shooting the sewer rapids right now. Richard shakes his head, only to stop as it made him queasy.
Richard gives out a half laugh that trails off. He can't be sure if she just made it up, or if it was an idiom that both their worlds share. "I have been accused of the exact same thing many times. Albeit figuratively. My name is Richard Groves. I welcome your company."
Grelda's hammock creaked as she climbed into it, still wearing her breastplate. She picked at one of her tusks.
"If you try to touch me while I sleep, I will break your fingers," she said matter-of-factly.
Grelda looks from Richard to the captain, narrowing her eyes. Is there something he's not telling them? She's unable to get a good read on the man.
Richard pulls a small wooden pipe from a pouch that was in his pocket. He lights it and leans back in his hammock. The skunk like smoke drifts into the room. The relaxing scientist takes a long hit. He holds it in before letting it out in a cough.
"If you try to touch me while I sleep, I will break your fingers," she said matter-of-factly.
Richard smiles and stifles a laugh. "I believe you" He pauses for at least a minute before saying "If you touch me while I sleep. I'm pretty much going to let it happen." He giggles to himself.
Richard gets more animated. "Seriously? A few words from the storm groupie about the 'wisdom in the wind' and you completely dismiss anchoring off the coast to weather the storm? It's a good thing she didn't mention the wisdom in breaking wind. We'd be shooting the sewer rapids right now. Richard shakes his head, only to stop as it made him queasy.
The captain visibly bristles at Richard's vocal criticism. "I've been doin this enough years to know what my ship can handle, and I don't change course just to settle weak stomachs. If you've got a problem with that, you're welcome to swim the rest of the way."
Grelda looks from Richard to the captain, narrowing her eyes. Is there something he's not telling them? She's unable to get a good read on the man.
You can easily tell that the captain is a stubborn and prideful man, but he doesn't seem to be hiding anything. In fact, he seems completely guileless. Anyone who looks at him can see his thoughts plainly on his face, and right now his face says he isn't too professional to try throttling a customer. At least for now, it is still just a thought.
In an attempt to steer the conversation in another direction, Jolis asks, "Captain, will the storm affect our departure time?"
Valeriya gets out more ginger root and some peppermint leaves.
"Now now no need for crowding. My prices are very reasonable. One dose of ginger is 5 copper and a pinch of peppermint is 7 copper. Viska will collect your coins and I'll dole out the medicine," Valeriya says with the practiced ease of a career merchant.
"Lera, that's a nice name, and greetings Grelda Bonehammer, do you mind if I call you Grelda... Bonehammer sounds a bit grim."
She giggles and smiles,
While others sit, holding on for dear life and feeling sick. She artfully moves with the boat seeming to keep still as it rolls back and fourth.
"Just love the sea, I think its the smell, kind of fresh smell. I think the Caption knows his job, we sail into the waves, and blow the wind."
She giggles again.
"You know you all looked a bit scary when I came on ship, but your not at all. Hansom Jolis here will keep us safe."
She moves behind him, and looks past him at the others, with a grin, flexing an arm like a man in a funny but child like mocking way.
Jolis senses something is up behind him, and quickly whips his head behind him.
"Haha!" Jolis catches Miya's mocking flex behind him. "Very funny." The young warrior scoots himself over on the bench, making room for another.
"But you did call me 'handsome', so I figure you can sit next to me if you wish."
"So easily swayed by flattery, Jolis? Or perhaps you are cowed by her superior muscles?"
The absolomian looks over to herbalist while she's taking coin from her transactions, and shrugs.
"Both?"
Valeriya laughs at the Absalomian man. "See now, honesty is far more becoming. Keep that up and you may earn 'handsome.'"
Jolis gives Valeriya a quick, sly wink, while scooting over a tad bit more.
"Now now no need for crowding. My prices are very reasonable. One dose of ginger is 5 copper and a pinch of peppermint is 7 copper. Viska will collect your coins and I'll dole out the medicine," Valeriya says with the practiced ease of a career merchant.
The passengers exchange bemused looks before fetching the coins from their pockets and handing them over to the fox. The fellow still in his seat slams them onto the table and slides them in Valeriya's general direcion.
In an attempt to steer the conversation in another direction, Jolis asks, "Captain, will the storm affect our departure time?"
The captain scratches his head thoughtfully, mental wheels turning as he tries to do something resembling math. "If it lasts another day, it'll likely slow us down enough to throw off the itenerarium. If it breaks before that, we should be able to make up the lost time."
"Thank you", Jolis nods in appreciation for the captain, and looks around the table as if to say See! Nothing to worry about.
Viska collects the copper pieces so rudely slammed on the table with surprising dexterity for an animal. He deposits the coins onto the growing pile and yips happily to his owner.
Valeriya smiles at Jolis and turns her attention to the Captain. "How many days will our food and water stores last beyond the scheduled arrival day?"
Go's over and sites next to Jolis, drumming her fingers to
Grelda tapping. She seems full of energyo of youth, moving and twitching about. She looks on as the fox takes the coins. She looks about 17 or 18, just out of training by the look of her clothing.
"Lera, that's a nice name, and greetings Grelda Bonehammer, do you mind if I call you Grelda... Bonehammer sounds a bit grim."
"Call me what you will. It doesn't change who I am," Grelda replies.
She curls her lip a bit as she watches Jolis and the two other girls flirting.
Gets up being tireless and goes over to Richard sitting there.
"You know you have very odd cloths on, where are you from, I have never seen the like"
She says head tilted like some brightly colord bird looking at something new.
Valeriya laughs at the Absalomian man. "See now, honesty is far more becoming. Keep that up and you may earn 'handsome.'"
Having been mostly quiet for the last few leagues, Vitranna had been absorbing the group's strength's and weaknesses. Most were simple non-combat capable. These talkative ones however were different.
"My people say: Honesty is the poor man's coin, but worth far more than gold."
"I couldn't agree more", nodded Jolis, "and well said."
Gets up being tireless and goes over to Richard sitting there.
"You know you have very odd cloths on, where are you from, I have never seen the like"
She says head tilted like some brightly colord bird looking at something new.
"Krypton" Richard said before violently dry heaving into a bucket. Something about the girl's affect reminds him of a closeted reverend telling him how wonderful and satisfying a heterosexual, monogamous marriage can be. The girl was over compensating for something, He was too miserable right now to care.
He lifts his head from the bucket, looking exhausted. " It's in a galaxy far, far away."
Grelda shakes her head as Richard heaves. "This one claims to be from another world than ours. I fear he lost his mind long before he lost his lunch." She smirks slightly.
"I don't know", shrugs Jolis. "We live in a world where the earth has a gaping hole to The Abyss, a hurricane that goes on forever, lands destroyed by magic, gods that die, and mortals raised to be gods". At this, Jolis pulls out his symbol of Cayden Cailean from behind his tunic, and taps it for emphasis.
"I KNOW stranger things have happened, and even stranger things are to come."
With that, Jolis slips his holy symbol back beneath his clothes.
"All I'm saying is that if", looking over to the heaving Dr. Groves, "our formerly distinguished gentleman here tells me he's from another planet, who am I to dismiss it outright?"
"O another plan, Krypton plan, wow, A bard told me about them, shadow, and fire, and water, and air and loads of others that just seems silly really. Is there such a thing as a plan of candy?"
She looked back and Grelda, then something clicks in her mind.
"Planet, as like this one, Oooo I see. Wow planet Krypton, why you here then. Did it get smashed by a a god or something, they do that in you know, or so I was told."
"Or he's simply lying, Jolis. I can say I'm an invisible pink unicorn but that doesn't make it true. Though Miss Bonehammer might be right. That heaving can't helping his delusions. For the Gods' sake, buy some ginger and mix it in with some tea with honey. It'll settle the stomach and help your throat." Valeriya proffers the ginger with an exasperated look on her face.
Valeriya smiles at Jolis and turns her attention to the Captain. "How many days will our food and water stores last beyond the scheduled arrival day?"
"Provisions shan't be an issue, ma'am. We've got enough dry rations to last a month over - nothin as tasty as ye've had so far, but it'll fill yer belly. As for water, well-"
Before the captain can finish, he's cut off by the loudest peel of thunder so far. It feels close enough to rattle the teeth as a bright light flashes through the porthole. The captain and crew are all deathly still for several seconds before a you all hear a long, drawn out creaking sound, like a falling tree. Then, a great crash shakes the entire ship violently.
Without a word, every crewman abandons their meal, rushing above deck as quickly as they can.
Richard looks up wearily to focus on Valeriya. "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio then are dreamt of in your philosophy." Somehow being pompous and pedantic made him feel a little better. I'm allergic to ginger, but I appreciate your pitiless unrestrained capitalism."
"That can't be good..." Valeriya says as she moves to secure her belongings. Viska helps her put the coins into her coin purse. Once firmly in her pack, she affixes her cloak just in case.
Grelda leaps to her feet as the thunder crashes. Her hands hover over the hilts of the two bone clubs strapped to her belt. She spits out a curse in the Orc tongue before following the crew to the deck to see if she can help.
Wiping his mouth and rising from the table, Jolis runs after the witch and skald, making a quick stop in his cabin to grab his weapons.
Spear in hand, Vitranna stand and smiles at the sound of the crashing thunder.
"The Voice of Thunder speaks! We are engaged! Trials of life and death! Move above weaklings, we must face this challenge with our lives!"