Torith continues his slow climb down from the crows nest.
"I'm coming down to help, lads. Wait for me... ARRGGHHHHH!" he yells as his climb turns into plummeting.
Torith reaches the deck rather faster than he was planning with a loud thud!
Torith bounces on the deck in true dwarven fashion, and is up and running very shortly after the fall.
The big ape continues his assault on Belir.
"Sorry brother, we will patch you up soon..." Thozar mutters as he changes course and stops behind Ulark. "You are the bulwark upon which this beast shall crumble and the earth shall reinforce you!" he cries as he places a palm against Ulark's back.
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Seeing Belir go down, Kragmyr's eyes widened. A look of hatred passed over his face at the primate. He couldn't get in close, so he pulled his longhammer off his back.
"ENOUGH!" He roared as he swung it. The hammer shone with arcane power. His muscles, fueled by pure hatred, swung the hammer with all of the force of a true warrior. Spittle flew from his mouth, everything forgotten except for the urge to kill this intruder and to save his comrade.
Torith runs as fast as his legs will carry him as he heads for the lower deck. He rubs a slight bruise on his arm from the fall as he worries more about if someone saw him rather than the fall.
Belir! Ulark yells as he stabs forth at the creature once more. Not again, not AGAIN
for
As Belir drops, Kragmyr's rage intensifies, as he drives his hammer through the girallon's thick skull, shattering it. The large beast drops like a bigger sack of potatoes right next to Belir.
The griallon drops at Kragmyr's attack, and Ulark turns to cheer him. That's how its done. They'll being telling great tales of you in the ages to come.
He then rushes first to Belir, and then towards the rower savaged by the beast, trying to see what there is to be done.
"Where did that thing come from?!" Thozar shouts angrily as he inspects the boat for damages and signs of entry. More reason to get off of this boat, damn half-orcs keep trying to kill us... I say we walk back to Trunau from the swamps, ORCS BE DAMNED!
Belir is already stable, so you know you can eventually bring him around, but he is hurt pretty bad. The other crew member is done, though. His neck was broken, as were many other bones.
As you all gather and look at the damage, you see that the creature burst through a door leading to the cargo hold. In addition to some armor and weapons, you see a large cage in the center. The door of the cage swings open... undamaged.
Seeing the open cage door, Thozar rounds on the Captain, face flush with rage. "What is the meaning of this? You've been keeping such a beast in the cargo hold and didn't think to tell us? What's worse, is that it didn't even have to break out of its confinement, SOMEONE LET THE DAMN THING OUT! We had it on good word that you were trustworthy enough to ferry us to where we need to go, but do you even have the authority to control this boat and follow through with that promise? For the second time on our trip not only has a dwarven life been threatened, but the same one," he says to the captain, almost shouting. Prodding him in the chest with his finger, he continues. "You have some explaining to do here Captain!" he concludes.
"Blood and stone, the giants have agents in the crew, don't they?" Gundar mused as he examined the undamaged cage. Despite his attempts to remain even-handed with half-breeds, he was finding it easy to sympathize with Thozar.
Captain Bloodtusk watches Thozar's tirade, and calmly says "Coxswain, please direct the boat to shore. We will be dropping off some guests here."
Turning to Ulark, Kragmyr smiled. He did his best to hide his pride from the compliment given to him by a respected warrior. ”A few lucky swings does not a legend make. I’m a collector of tales and grudges, nothing more.” He then bent down to heal his wounded comrade.
So engrossed in this, and so tired from the magical excursion, that he barely heard the ranting going on beside him. Thozar was rightfully angry...he was just too busy to give it his attention.
"He may be angry, but what he says is pretty damning. Do you have no excuse or reason for this? Do you not have concerns that someone on this crew is purposefully sabotaging this trip? For someone who may have a traitor on board you're being remarkably calm right now, Captain!"
Torith stays as calm as he can, but the whole situation is starting to bug him. Some of that irritation comes across in the way he talks, though he's nowhere near as angry as Thozar.
Ulark starts to smile at Kragmyr, but the din Thozar beings making draws his full attention. Swearing under his breath, the warrior rises and tries to place a hand on the druid, pulling him back.
Blood runs hot and so do tempers Torith. Belir's conscious now; can you make sure Kragmyr's got him set again.
Ulark looks at the captain, bowing his head but keeping his eyes locked. His voice drops a bit. But our friend still being here's not something that can be said for all. I couldn't save the rower, and he'll be mourned I'm sure. One bad omen's poor luck. Two shows a mind. And unless that ape suddenly grew smart enough to pick a lock, there's a problem here that parting with us won't solve alone.
Bloodtusk finally stops staring at Thozar, and turns to calmer heads. "As the Captain of the boat, I do not expect my crew to speak to me like that if they don't want to be put off immediately. If it happens again, I won't even pull the boat over to shore. I am not sure where you learned your manners, but even dwarves are capable of following a chain of command."
You see the rest of the half-orcs stand to protect their Captain.
Pointing at Thozar, he says "This one will be scrubbing the deck for the rest of the day, or you will all be put off the boat. I will not have disorder."
Looking to Kragmyr, he softens. "How's your friend?" Then he motions for Ulark and Kragmyr to follow him up top to his cabin.
|
Belir jerks awake. "Wha...what happened?" His fists fly into the air to defend himself as he grabs ahold of the bench. His clothing body are drenched in his blood as the ape lies nearby.
He quickly looks to everyone surrounding him for answers. "What was that!?" His shaking hand points to the Girallion
Fuming, Thozar leaves the area and packs his things, making a mental note of every item he can, before heading up to begin scrubbing the deck. Ignore the problems on your boat, fine with me. See if I give a damn when one of yours falls into a river or Roc swoops down and snatches you. Captain! Somebody sawed a hole through the deck, looks like sabotage to me! HAR HAR Stupid dwarf I be a tusker, off the boat with yee!
For the rest of the day, he remains silent and doesn't so much as look at the half-orc crew members except when required to complete a task.
________
The Captain speaks to those that follow him in. "I'll not apologize for my cargo. My ship, my business. But I think your hot-headed friend is right - something strange is going on here. I trust my crew, but that girallon was locked in a cage and drugged. It should not have caused a problem. That, combines with the broken railing, seems very suspicious. Keep an eye out, as will I. It's dangerous enough in these parts already."
Careful of them as you're claiming as crew, Bloodtusk. We've contracted labour for passage, but you're a long way from deserving that kind of loyalty, Gundar thought. He was tempted to speak up for letting the captain put them ashore and making their way on foot, but he kept his peace.
The Captain speaks to those that follow him in. "I'll not apologize for my cargo. My ship, my business. But I think your hot-headed friend is right - something strange is going on here. I trust my crew, but that girallon was locked in a cage and drugged. It should not have caused a problem. That, combines with the broken railing, seems very suspicious. Keep an eye out, as will I. It's dangerous enough in these parts already."
Ulark gives a curt nod. We're not the only ones on the move. Forces are gathering, and subtler than they should be. Tempers get on end.
He looks the captain over. Your boat: if a quieter tongue's the cost of passage, fine. But we can't be asked to stand by until we're picked off. If the 'strangeness's coming from one aboard, can we get your word it'll be dealt with?
"Well, if we find someone causing these troubles, they will, of course, be dealt with."
All I can ask Ulark says. He politely moves to go back upstairs: there's still some fish to be caught today.
Kragmyr said nothing until they had left. He then turned to Ulark.
”This captain has insulted the honor of our kinsman. He lets us do his fighting while he crew stands idle. He failed to warn us of the danger within the ship and blames us for asking. I think that once we get a rest to replentish ourselves, we should get off the ship and walk. Let them fend for themselves befor they get one of us killed, murder us, or further insult us. What do you say?”
Torith says nothing more to the crew. He goes back to climb up to the crows nest. When up above the deck he periodically watches the crew to see if they're acting strangely when around his fellow dwarves.
That night, Kragmyr called a meeting for his fellow dwarves. Once sure that they were alone, he repeated what he had said to Ulark.
”This captain has insulted the honor of our kinsman. He lets us do his fighting while he crew stands idle. He failed to warn us of the danger within the ship and blames us for asking. I think that once we get a rest to replentish ourselves, we should get off the ship and walk. Let them fend for themselves befor they get one of us killed, murder us, or further insult us. What do you all say?”
Gundar considers it. A good part of him agreed that the ship was likely the more dangerous choice - but trudging through strange swamps was no easy task, either. And much slower.
"I agree with Kragmyr, yet we have made a promise to the people of Trunau we would make this venture for their safety. As much as I hate this scum, we may have to grit our teeth and bear it, unless we think we can make the trip quick enough overland. I'd rather carve our way through a bunch of orcs than wait for one to stab us in the back, but if we fail to deliver on our word to Trunau, we are no better than the tuskers on this raft!" Thozar adds, grumbling from his bunk with a dagger in his hand.
Sure he's no keepin' up the end of host protection like he should. Ulark retorts to Kragmyr. But our wasn't the first honor to be insulted. Loudly, in his home and in front of his kin - of sorts. The dwarf glances to Thozar, then sighs.
My eyes work fine. Halgra and the others vouched for Bloodtusk; don't need to be a scholar to guess one of the crew may be a bit less solid. So we act it: stick together, none on their own, eyes wide and clear. Anything else happens I'm with you: we can't help any if we're dead. But if there's giants and orcs massing again at that fort, they need to be met before they move on Trunau. Or anywhere else. They pass by in the night because we had to overland it...
"It's Thozar they insulted, and if he can put that aside to keep our promise to Trunau then who am i to be offended on his behalf. Whatever you decide i'll stick with you, Thozar. One or more of the crew on this boat can't be trusted. My gut tells me we'll see more trouble before this journey is over."
"It may be dangerous to stay, me lads, but the swamp isn't likely to prove any more gracious. And we'll be a month crossing it. I say we remain on the boat. Stick together, set watches. We be in hostile territory either way."
"So be it..." Thozar mutters before drifting off to sleep.
________
As another day dawns, Ulark wakes tired and wishing for this journey to be done with 'Stead of just half the way there.
Mindful of that putting him as much as best friend to the captain relative to the others, he mentions to Kragmyr as they rouse. Here: I'll head down below today. Keep the oars moving well. Free you up to be above decks if you'd rather. Maybe keep a better eye on the captain - silently of course.
The cook could always use some help.
Mid-day of day 3, and someone on the deck shouts out. Apparently the boat is being attacked!
As you come to see what is going on, there are 3 flying drakes spitting caustic acid on the deck.
Kragmyr pulls out his book fo grudges and starts in on dragon-kind, of which he has many grudges to spout.
Two of the drakes circle around and spit acid at members of the crew.
The larger one swoops in, through the stable area, and tries to grab one of the horses.
From down belowdeck Ulark hears a commotion once again - but this time from above him.
Rousing, he drops the oar and draws his longaxe,heading quickly to the stairs above. Angradd, may that not be another act of sabotage
I officially hate swamps, Gundar thinks, unable to summon any surprise at the continued attacks. Doing his best to take some cover from the beasts' acid, he sends a bolt their way, aiming for the largest.