"I think so too" Jimmy smiles as he scoffs down his stew, "This is incredibly good"
After your lunch you are all summoned on deck by Jim Hawkins. "Well you are a hard to train lot. You already failed three times following rule no. 1, not going overboard. But we will continue with some more basic things. You need to know how things are called on a ship therefore I'm going to tell you. You better memorize them. If you can't, get your notebook out." Pointing around he names the parts of the boat. "This side of the boat is called starboard, that side portside. The front is called bow, the back is called stern. This is the main mast, and the only one with this ship. The sail at the bow is the flying jib, the big one here is the spanker, or driver. There are a lot more named sails but not on this nutshell so I'll spare you that.
"Sails are set, or reefed, that is when you put them down. If we change course in a way that we get the wind from the other side, then I'll call About ship! Then all sails have to be untied, and fixed to the other side of the ship. As you have seen this morning, you have to be careful, or the main boom will sweep you off deck."
And grabbing some rope he continues "And you need to learn how to handle rope. It's one of the most important things on the ship. The wooden parts are sturdy, and if a sail rips you loose some speed, but if you miss some damaged rope it might fail, and bcome a giant whip, cutting you in half. Because of that I check every rope I take in my hands everytime. Ropes you store, or legth of rope not used are laid or hanged in accurate coils ensuring you don't twist the rope."
"You never cut a rope, and you never knot them with your land lubber knots. You'll learn at least the some of the most basic sailor's knots now"
With that he starts showing you the Bowline, the running Bowline, the Carrick Bend and how to fasten a sail, which is done without a knot.
Gwenhwyfar always curious to learn new things, if it's nothing dangerous, absorbs all information handed to her, thrilled to learn this sailor language.
Gwenhwyfar then grabs on of the coils of rope Jim Hawkins brought along and tries to imitate what Jim is doing.
She examines how Jim lays the loops and where to cross an dto go through.
And easily replicates what is presented to her.
But with the fastening of sails, though actually easier, she gets confused with the criss-crossing of the rope and comes up with a entangled mess.
Frustrated she states "Can someone please help me with that?"
Jimmy manages to tie the first knot rather well
However it was probably just a fluke as he royaly botches his attempts at the remaining knots and tie offs.
"I seem to be the worst person at this here" he says managing to laugh at himself. "I've gone overboard twice and cant tie a knot. I don't think being on a boat is all that suited to me.
Abomentolor stands there and listens. The role as pupil foreign to him. His disdain clearly showing on his face. But Jim roughly hands him a coil of rope, almost toppling the gnome over, so he reluctantly gives in and starts trying knots.
The first one he manages surprisingly easy
The Running Bowline showing it was mere luck the first time as it takes him two tries.
Same with the Carrick bend, but he actually starts getting proud of himself, managing everything so far with no more than two tries. He shorly considers, but refrains from fishing for compliments from Jim Hawkins, as he doesn't look he would provide some.
With his perfect fixing of some imaginary sail he is back to his old cheerful, if a bit demeaning self.
Succeeding with the running bowline on his second attempt, Jimmy moves on to the carrick bend again
He nearly gets it right but not quite
It seems sixth times the charm as he finaly manages a proper knot.
Moving on to the final bowline
His imaginary sail is the best fastened thing he has ever done.
He then goes over to Gwen, "Why don't I help you learn from my mistakes here"
After Jimmy untangles the mess Gwenhwyfar created with her first attempt and with Jimmy around to help her it should be as easy as pie.
"Well, no masterpiece, but I think it will do. Thank you for your help." she smiles at Jimmy.
"No problem Gwen, Glad to help. Where is Tuariell by the way?" he says to the deck at large
After Jimmy untangles the mess Gwenhwyfar created with her first attempt and with Jimmy around to help her it should be as easy as pie.
Tauriel sits comfortable in cross-legged position on deck and starts tying away. More as if it was some king of contemplative excercise.
The first one goes smoothly but the second one is quite the problem
Taking a look how the other fare, she notices Jimmy and Gwen solving the last Problem together. It might be shortlived, but they are happy she thinks, smiling to herself.
After trying for some time to no avail, she asks "Jim, would you please show it to me again" and with his help finally manages to do the trick.
The next one is a bit easier to her, and is done in one go
And fixing the sail comes naturally to her.
As she took her time, all others are finished well before her. She doesn't intend to become a sailor she might take it up as a hobby. Getting up she approaches Jim Hawkins "Thank you for teaching me. If you could spare the time, I would like to know more about these sailor's knots"
"What else can we do?" Jimmy asks the captain as he finishes tying the knots
As everyone managed at least once to solve the given tasks, Jim announces "Ok, thats good enough for today. If you like you can continue practicing, but if not, you're free to do whatever you like now."
Turning to Tauriel he says, "I'm going to do a complete check of the ship. If you like, you can come and I'll explain some more to you. After that I could explain you the concept behind the sailors knots and how they are grouped if you like."
As Tauriel nods these two are off checking around the ship.
As Jimmy approaches the Captain, he answers With that he gets up and offers Jimmy his seat. Pointing to a landmark in the distance he explains
"Sure thing Captain, I'll try not to sail us into a rock or fall overboard while you are away" Jimmy says with a chuckle and a smile. "There aren't any rocks or reefs around here to sail into are there?" Jimmy says with a serious almost panicky tone
with that he takes a leave down into his cabin.
"Aye aye Captain" Jimmy laughs nervously
Gwenhwyfar follows Jimmy up to the deck at stern, and watches Jimmy being put in his new job.
As the captain is out of sight and a few moments more she salutes you "Congratulations on the promotion Navigator Fiddle."
"In acordance with my new position I deserve some perks don't I Miss Yongisdottir?" he jokes stumbling over her surname
Stemming her arms in her sides she complains "If you start making jokes like Captain Ahab at my cost, I'm going to sleep in the storage with Tauriell." giving Jimmy a stern glare.
After a moment she loosens up, changing her posture, to a thoughtful one stroking her chin she adds "But if you just want another bowl of stew I might consider giving you this treat".
"My dear lady, of course I only meant a little bit more bacon for breakfast. What did you think I meant?" Jimmy says with a slight chuckle. "Im not trying to make fun at you, im trying to make you laugh Gwen"
After the 'What did you think' she puts her index fingers in her ears "Lalalalalala, can't hear you lalala" and after Jimmy continues she removes her fingers from her ears.
"I cherish the intent. I'd say you get a three out of ten for the performance. Maybe you should try some slapstick instead?" giving you a smile again, but this time it's a mischievous one.
As it seems to have left Jimmy speechless she adds "I'll leave you, so you can concentrate on your new responsibility. But I'll sneak some extra meat on your plate for dinner." Lightheartedly she bounces down the stairs and disappears indoors.
After the 'sailor-training' is done, Abomentolor goes to his bunk considering sleeping again. But he is not tired.
He walks down to the storage, looks around, but soon feels his stomach protesting about being here.
So he goes up and out on the deck again. He hears Gwen working in the kitchen on his way out. There are only Tauriell and Jim on deck checking the rigging, and that's also boring to him he goes up to the Captain again.
Surprised to see Jimmy sitting there he asks "Where did the Captain go?"
"He left me steering the boat, I think he went inside, probably to his cabin. Maybe check there?" Jimmy says, concentrating hard on the job at hand
"Well it's not that important. I just wanted to sit with him, because up here is easiest on my stomach. But if he's not here, you'll do as well." and sits down on the bench besides you at two arms lengths.
"I'm actually surprised by how seldom I've seen you around. How are you coping with the seasickness?" Jimmy asks, genuinely concerned
"I'm fine, thank you." the gnome replies. "If someone told me earlier to stay out on the deck I might have avoided that, ... inconvenience completely." Abomentolor adds to downplay his former condition.
"Indeed. So you told me a little about your surname, I'm sure it's an interesting story." Jimmy says with a smile
"It is, indeed" and considers for a moment if Jimmy is the kind of audience he likes for telling his story. But he really likes to hear himself talk, and Jimmy has been polite enough to not make fun of him so far, so he gives it a try.
"I was hired by some farmers near Nybor to clear out some goblins, that pestered their lands, burnt the crops, stole the livestock and even attacked the farmers. No one dared to go anywhere alone at day, and no one dared to go out at night at all."
"So they put together some gold to pay the guard to help them out, but they refused to hunt the goblins through the fields and the wood. So they set out a bounty per goblin head."
"I accepted that offer and took my time to find out where they could be found and confronted them at a barn as they were trying to steal something. I placed myself at a strategically perfect position and killed them with fire, as they tried to charge me to escape the trap I set."
"As all was over, a dozen heads were counted. The rest of them were burnt to ashes."
It becomes obvious from where he paused to choose his words, that he omitted something important about the barn.
Without being able to point to it, you get the feeling, that this task would not be to big for Abomentolors self confidence, but might be a bit above his skill level.
"Most certainly an impressive feat my friend, and not one I am sure I could match, It makes me even more glad that you are going to be fighting alongside me! A dozen goblins! Amazing!" Jimmy says honestly impressed by the tale. "You are very well traveled, where else have you been?"
"I've been around the Sanos Forest living for some time with a few of my kind who decided for a life close to nature, but that was not to my liking. Civilization has it's perks and once you got used to them, it's hard to live without. Then I moved to Sandpoint after my fame as Goblinburner made it impossible to go anywhere in Nybor without beeing approached."
As Jimmy swallowed his whole story so far Abomentolor becomes imprudent.
"But what great battles have you fought so far?"
He really likes to know. Because if everyone thinks of him as great as he wants them to believe, it could become a problem, if he has to deliver with everyone else standing back and waiting.
Jimmy picks up a bit of a yarn being spun about him and decides to have some fun of his own. "Oh no fights against many foes, but I have taken down one great foe on my journeys. A caravan I was employed to guard was attacked by a creature of immense darkness. It slew the other guards, not by slicing them or wounding them, but by draining the strength from their limbs until their hearts lacked the strength to continue beating. Seeing that their blades had no effect on this moving shadow. Within seconds those that had fallen lost form and rose as darkness, descending upon me. But using my wits, blade, and a barrel or three of holy water I banished the foul fiends."
Jimmy says with as straight of a face as he can muster.
Jimmy cant keep a straight face. He manages for a few seconds and then bursts out in laughter at his unbelievable tale. "Sorry friend, it's always fun to try one up someones story but that wasn't true, in honesty i havent had any great fights. Maybe a few bandits here and there, or a pack of wolves, but i have always been fighting with others on my side, so none of those victories could be said to be mine. I have never had such an overwhelming victory, as yours"
Feeling caught you could notice a slight of embarrassment, but beeing the great Goblinburner, he glosses over it.
"Well, you have a vivid fantasy, but you lack the poker face to pull it off. But obviously I let my guard down too. Or you wouldn't have seen it as an invitation for such an exaggeration."
"You are a nice guy, so I'll tell you the rest, but please don't tell it around in Sandpoint. First and most important everything I told you is true." He looks you deep in your eyes to convey, that he is in fact telling the truth.
"I killed them all, not one escaped and I had no help. But I was well prepared. I knew they would come and poured oil at the wood around any opening of that barn. As they all had gone in I stealthily barred the door and set everything on fire. They managed to bash down the door after two minutes, but I stunned most of them with a glitterdust and burned the few that managed to get out of this inferno with burning hands. Only one of them ever managed to try a single attack on me."
"I deemed that a mighty deed, the barn an acceptable collateral damage, but the farmers wouldn't agree. They refused to pay me and after a less heroic version of the story was gossiped through all of Nybor, I was no longer a welcome guest."
"So I might take more enemies with me than you would manage, but in an open fight against a dozen Goblins, I wouldn't stand a chance too." he admits with a grin.
"That doesn't make your story any less heroic Abomentolor, it just showcases your wit and craftyness rather than brute strength, and i know which I prefer. Strength fades with age, and during a fight, but with a good head on your shoulders, that only gets better with age and can stop most fights before they even start. It was a good plan, and a pity the farmers couldn't see that a temporary loss outweighed the future loss the goblins would have wrought upon them." Jimmy says with a grin back, and a new insight into the gnome's mind
"I'm glad you see it that way, and not like those dumb farmers. They propably just didn't want to admit my genius and didn't have the gold to pay."
"Their offer was five gold per Goblin, and I had a dozen proven. If one would have taken the time to search through the charred remains mabe up to twenty Goblins, it could have been. That they were for sure not able to pay."
As he is back to his old form he might have exaggerated the potential maximum number of fatalities by a few.
"That may be it, but it may also have been that the barn was the last food they had stockpiled for winter. I don't know, but you still saved them a lot of hassle from those goblins and probably gave many of them longer lives, and that should mean something at least." Jimmy says philosophically as he maintains course
Giving you a stern look he replies "I'm not stupid my boy. It was only straw in that barn. Even the farmtools weren't there as the farmers were already working on filling another barn. I'm no carpenter, but I should propably try to find one, to check if they made a net profit by not paying me and building a new barn."
"But another thing bothers me. You and Gwen. The Captain told me about you two swimming in the sea this morning. So I know what to expect from you if she gets in trouble. Would you tell me what we others could expect in such an situation?"
As Tauriel already told what to expect from her at the Captains dinner, and he experienced firsthand what Gwen is like if one needs help, this information is still missing to lay out his tactics.
"Well then they were just a bunch of stingy fools who would have found any excuse not to pay you for your work. I am sorry about that." with true sincerity towards the gnome. "As for me and Gwen... I told you all I made her a promise. I intend to keep it. But I can't do that on my own. If your life is in danger I will endeavor to save it, not only because of my promise, but because you are my companion on this adventure." He says while looking at the gnome, truly meaning what he says.
"You seem confused. Let me try that again." Jimmy says as he muses on a way to explain.
"I made a promise to Gwen that i would keep her safe and do what I can so she never has to take a life. I take my promises very seriously, as such I will put my own life in danger in order to keep my promise to her. Whether that be jumping into the ocean to save her or stand between her and a troll. I also believe that the best way to keep her safe is to have multiple people protecting her. As we are all companions, I expect we are all going to try keep each other alive, yes? So to keep her safe, I will keep you and Tauriell in one piece as much as possible, so long as I don't feel it will infringe upon my ability to protect her... So for example if you and her are both about to be stabbed, it won't be your side I'll be running to. She is also capable of healing most wounds as I understand, so keeping her alive helps keep the rest of us alive. Does that make a bit more sense? I hope I have explained myself properly this time."
"She is a young girl, she has a long life yet to live"
"Ok, I can work with that. I think we two will get along just fine. I'm looking forward to a good fight knowing that you have my back, and together we make sure the enemy doesn't get a chance even to throw an eye on your Gwen."
Having that off his mind, he starts looking around couriously.
"We are on a fishers boat, aren't we? I haven't seen a single net on that damn thing. We are in the middle of the sea and there hasn't been a single fish on the table. What do you think, if we manage to catch one now would Gwen serve it for dinner?"
"Hmmm... You are quite right, aren't there nets down in the hold maybe? I didn't really pay attention to the surroundings down there. Gwen was too busy battering my shield to bits" Jimmy says with a shrug and a conspiratorial wink. "I'm sure she would cook it for us. Now don't tell her this, but it might come out a bit burnt. Now we both have blackmail material on the other!" Jimmy whispers about Gwen's cooking then laughs through his last sentence
"I'll check that with the Captain"
Abomentolor hurries to the Captains cabin, knocking, and entering on being invited.
"Captain, do you actually have something to catch fish on your fisher boat. I'd like to eat one this evening"
And rummaging around in that trunk he produces a fishing rod with a coil of sturdy twine and a hook bigger than the gnomes finger.
Taking the offered tool and after talking Gwen out of some meat to use as bait, he is back at the quarterdeck and turning the crank handle he slowly lets the hook with the bait attached down into the water. By the look of it, it is the first time he tries something like that.
"You're good at fishing by chance?"
"Definitely not, I doubt I could catch a cold if I tried. Maybe ask Tauriell? She seems the type to be good at these things?"
"But in the mean time I think I'll give it a go."
As the bait reaches the sea the twine starts rolling off its coil on it's own. Abomentolor stops that after some 50 yards of twine are off and into te sea, as a sudden jerk goes from the twine through the rod and into the gnome.
"That is great, as I'd like to give up on trying already. I don't know what it is, but I don't think I'm strong enough to pull it out."
With that he hands you the rod.
He takes the rod from Abomentolor and feels a sudden jerk through the line. He starts trying to play the fish on the line, using the flex of the rod to help him. Letting the fish run when he worries the line will snap to tire the fish out.
"Mind holding her steady for a moment?" Jimmy nods at the rudder
Jimmy is handling the fish like a pro, and even as he heaves that beast out of the water he manages not to break the rod, and the twine stands firm.
With that coup he lands a 4ft. tuna fish on the quarterdeck that is now flayling around wildly.
Abomentolor takes the rudder and watche sin amazement as Jimmy draws that thing in. He then ogles that rather large fish with due respect taking on a defensive stance and asks Jimmy "You're going to kill that any time soon, or should I burn it, so it stops making such a fuss?"
As he waits for you to reply his hands start moving as if preparing a gesture.
"Burning might ruin the taste maybe? Look for something to bash it over the head with! Quick!" Jimmy starts frantically looking around the boat, he quickly remembers Gwen's quarterstaff and shouts to the gnome."There is a quarterstaff inside, next to the bunks, go get it quickly!" He shouts as he grabs the fish and tries to hold it in place.