Bosun Moon sighs in relief after Master Scourge passes him by without a lashing. He looks about at the others, curious as to who he'll be sailing the high seas with on this pirate ship, and he notices the attractive woman standing a bit apart from the others, her eyes intent on the those being assigned new jobs.
The Mwangi woman -- long dark hair done in a seemingly endless number of braids, which are pulled back into a single ponytail, only a couple strands escaping -- shrugs, then smiles at . "Sure, I can make something you won't ever forget."
Hopefully there'll be enough ingredients in the galley to whip up some poison or something. Then again, Dad always said my cooking made better smokepowder than food; I suppose I could just try to cook and give them all terminal stomach flux.
She nervously wipes her hands on her light cotton trousers, though she holds her head high, seemingly used to being in difficult situations despite her relative youth.
I wonder if that sailor is on board. He was good for a roll in the hay, but I owe him. And both of my dads apparently paid their debts.
Bendrauss continues to "wait patiently."Sscanning the newly forming crowd. Is that the woman from last night? I wonder. He then turns to regard Bosun Moon. Clearly not a man for combat on the high seas... "You there, Moon was it? Clearly yer talents lay elsewhere mate. Surly not up wit the birds 'n sails eh?"
Bosun Moon grins at Bendrauss's words, but in place of his standard jovial smile a feral leer stretches across his face.
"I's know me way around a ship", then in a voice below the barking of Master Scourge he continues, "and I's can handle a weapon as well when the time be right." he says with a wink and a glance towards Scourge.
Ben gives Moon a knowing nod and steps closer turning his face from the crowd. In the same low tone so no one else can hear.
Keep the man on his feet, unsure of my true skills. Exactly as Lander told me, Karn thought to himself as he waits for his next orders. The strong one can keep to the rigging and just wait until they see how I do at the helm. Just need to stay around long enough to show them what I can do.
Noticing Louly's nervous gesture, Karn will wait until Mister Plugg has his attention on someone else before giving the woman a sincere smile. Making friends with those who will experience the same trials as myself is the first step to surviving Besmara's test.
In the same low voice, Bosun Moon replies to Bendrauss.
Master Plugg seems well satisfied with Louly's claim; he offers one quick nod. We’ll see; you’re a cook’s mate now. Get yer filthy hide down to the galley and see Fishguts. He’ll tell ya’ what ya’ need ta’ get working on; serve us a poor meal and ye’ll be the next meal for tha’ fish!
He then glares at Bendrauss. As our new rigger, ye’ll be workin’ for me. Got a fine job for ya’ today, ta’ get ya’ used to the lines. You’ll be doing line work all day; hoistin’ and lowerin’ the sales as I direct ya’. Do good, and maybe ye’ll get yer rum rations tonight. Do poorly, and ye’ll get yer lashes instead. Got it?
As for the rest of ya' - Swabs, the lot of ya'! Master Scourge will see ta' yer tasks; same goes fer you as fer our new rigger here. Do well an' keep yer trap shut an' ye'll do fine. Otherwise it's the lash. Now, all a' ya'; get ta' work!
That being said, he directs Bendrauss as Scourge moves in to direct the rest. The vile botswain and master at arms sneers, showing a mouth full of gold teeth over his braided beard. He points to each of the remaining new servants, assigning a particular task for the day.
Louly heads into the bowels of the ship with some trepidation. Fishguts? I hope that's not what his parents named him. ... Hope he doesn't *smell* like fishguts!
It takes her a little time to find her way to the galley, but eventually she makes it there. "Hello? Is there anyone here?
"Knot work be good by me, let me at 'em."
Bosun Moon plunks over to the ropes and sets to working, hoping to earn some rum and not the lash.
Aye, Mista Scourge, have pity on a ol' sea dog like meself. I's just need to be gettin' me sea leg back, then I be a good swab. A little patience sir, a little patience an a little rum twil do me right."
Looking at the bucket and mop that gets pushed his way, Karn gets to work. His voyage to Port Peril had been aborad a ship and the captain of that vessel wasn't want to have anyone travel free, no matter that the passenger was a friend's progeny.
Finding a blank space on deck, the young man gets to work, whistling a lively tune as he worked. However, as the day progressed, the work began to take its toll and the whistled faded away to be replaced by a sweaty and soaked brow. The sandstone that followed was worse, the rough stone cutting into his had as much as it did its work on the wooden planks. Worn out from his work, he decided to take what breaks he could to simply chit-chat with the crew, putting up with any insults they threw at him to learn what he could of his new crewmates.
Con Check:
Bendrauss gets to work right away. Tiring work he finds it satisfiying...
For the first few hours. Quickly the big man becomes exhausted. Struggling to keep up. "Outta practice" is all the unhappy sailor will say on the subject.
Kehlysch handles the job as runner, easily enough. He tries to remember any interesting bits of information from the messages that might prove useful later.
Towards the end of the day, he feels the thirst in his skin. I need to get into water soon. Maybe I can slip out on deck after dark. If I do not, they will find a dead Kehlysch in the morning.
Directly to your right is an open door to what appears to be the Galley. It appears to be a cramped and chaotic kitchen, holding two wooden worktables, several wooden cupboards, and two small stoves against the port wall, as well as virtually every cooking utensil imaginable and a frightening array of meat cleavers. A score of chickens and three goats wander freely throughout the chamber. The kitchen is a madness of dirt, food, and knives, and finding anything in here could be tricky. The stoves appear lit, large cauldrons bubbling away on top of them. There are barrels and tuns, crates and cupboards...and who knows what else amidst the debris.
Standing amidst the wreckage is a homely, middle-aged man, a bottle of rum in one hand and a cleaver in the other. He turns to you in surprise and lurches a bit...odds are that there's less rum in the bottle than is in his stomach. Why hullo' thar' girlie...aren't 'shyoo a fine sight fer a poor 'ol sailor like me? What can 'ol Fishguts do fer ya'?
Huh. Who knew they had farms on boats?
Louly suppresses a shudder as she looks at the man. And that's what I was afraid of.
Turning on her charm, however, she smiles at the man. "Master Plugg sent me down here to help cook. ..." She trails off as she looks at the main chained to the mast, then -- in a voice intended only for Fishguts -- says "Who's that?"
Ahh...grand, then...it'll be good ta' 'ave some 'elp. As me mate, ye'll be 'elpin' prepare meals, fishin' some times, an' watchin' tha' livestock 'ere aboard the mighty Wormwood! It's hard to tell if he's jesting or proud, but it seems as if he's a bit jaded...his next words enforce the feeling. It's poison, this ship, but don't let anyone hear you say it aloud. The hull listens, see, and the cap'n hears it all. Poison the Wormwood is, though, rotten to the core. You'll not meet a more nasty, sour peice of work than Cap'n Harrigan in all yer days at sea, an' his crew's the same, 'specially the first mate, Mr. Plugg. Vicious lil' sod, 'e is. E'd take 'is own mother's liver to the butcher to make pies with, 'e would. But they leave me alone, mostly. They know I can't 'arm 'em.
As if seeming to remember himself and his place, he quickly falls out of the moment of candor and clears his throat. Hells, may as well git to it, then. I'll be needin' ya' to cook today; the cap'n'll be wantin' a good meal his first full day back out to sea.
"Mate? Now wait just a ..." Louly starts to say before she realizes what the cook means. After a moment of fear, she starts to think maybe he's not as bad as her first impression; he seems honest enough, at least.
After a surprising amount of work, Louly sits back and looks satisfied with herself. That actually doesn't look too bad! OK, granted he did most of it, but still... I never knew there were *that* many bones in a fish, or that we could throw them (and the head -- ick!) in a pot for a stew.
Once the rest of the meal is served, Louly will approach Owlbear Hartshorn, with a trencher of food. "Hello? Did anyone give you anything to eat yet?"
Bendrauss displeased with his performance and more so with Mister Plug deecides to take a look around for the weapons locker.
All attempts at influencing Master Scourge meet with open hostility; the man seems to have a genuine hatred for you...or maybe just anyone that is not him or allied with him.
As Moon and Karn finish up their work, the woman from earlier approaches, her eyes keenly interested. It appears that she'd been working the lines, as well, but her work is done. A fetching woman, she has long red hair under a tricorne hat, tight leggings and a blood red corset. She eyes the pair intensely as she approaches. Don't worry about them; just do your job and stay quiet. Get your friends and find me tonight, during rum rations.
You find what seems to be an armory on the main deck, in one corner, set against the wall of the officer's quarters. This tiny chamber is crammed with chests and neatly ordered weapon racks. It's secured with a lock, but you can see through the mech door a cache of arms and armor - clubs, crossbows, cutlasses, javelins, shortspears, grappling hooks with rope, and six large chests.
Bosun Moon grins with agreement, but stays quiet as the lady suggests. Still, he is unsure who to trust among those who were not press ganged into service and worries that the lady may be trying to ferret out any dissenters in the new crew.
During rum rations that evening, Bosun Moon quietly tells Bendrauss of the lady's words from earlier in the day, but suggests that only the Moon meet with her in case it's a set-up. During the meeting Bosun Moon does his best to read her intentions.
Feinting surprise that the woman talked with him, he looks to Bosun after the woman departs. "Looks like we are about to meet out first friend on this unexpected voyage", he says quietly just before they go back to their business, joining Bosun at the meet, feeling it would be better to have two present to feel out the lady's intentions. Before the meet, Karn does his best to execute stretches taught to him by Old Lander to combat his cramping arms.
Bendrauss, unwilling to lose a possible ally follows Moon only to within hearing. Keep yer eyes open the big man whispers to Moon as they part ways.
The crew berths take up the entirety of the Lower Hold. Sixteen pillars support the deck above; it looks like the hammocks are tied off between these pillars and the walls at night. A trap door just behind the mainmast opens down into the bilges. Two hammocks that appear a bit newer than others are strung between the foremast and the stairs that lead up to the middle hold. On the ground near the hammocks are lockers that look to be no more than small chests, stood upright. Eighteen of these chests are currently locked; there are another 22 empty chests packed against the walls, unused.
In your quick tour of the ship, you see Gregor in the lower hold, and he helps you open the small trap door to the bilges, as you figure that there may be some water in there that could help with your condition. The bilges are a foul, damp place with thick cobwebs above and dark, brackish water below. The stink is pervasive, seeming to ooze up out of the opening with its own purpose. A ladder leads down into the murk, through which lie a number of discarded crates and boxes packed with straw, among other debris. Six sets of manacles are fixed to the bulkheads in the forward portion of the deck, one of them occupied by an unfortunate young man, whose slumped posture either indicates slumber or defeat...maybe both.
While you’re helping out Fishguts, you note the coming and going of the Quartermaster, a half-orc woman named Cut-throat Grok. The woman enters and exits her storeroom through a door with a 3-foot square hatch cut into it with a waist high counter. The woman is fierce looking, with a long, puckered scar around her throat, but her eyes soften when she nods to Fishguts in greeting. She pays you little heed.
You help Fishguts in organizing the small cramped kitchen (though he claims it unnecessary) as you help him cook, and you find a vast array of items in your work, including a fine dagger being used as a butcher's knife, a pair of handaxes being used as meat cleavers, 11 knives, a short sword, a gold trimmed vial of water, a good unused lock, four waterskins, two pounds of soap, a barrel of wine good for little more than cooking, six bottles of good Chelish brandy, three bottles of fine rum, a cookbook that seems largely unused, a prosthetic leg of wood and silver bands, and 12 random silver pieces that probably fell out of one of Fishguts' pockets at some time or another.
Though you try to stealthily catalog these items, Fishguts catches on, one eyebrow raising up as in confusion. Whatcha' doin' thar, lass? Keepin' inventory fer me? Why; ye' may find stuff I ne'er knew I had in tha' first place!
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Satisfied with his exploration for one day Gregor sets out to find Bendrauss to compare notes before hitting the rack for the night.
Right now you're the only one I trust...I hope we can pull a few more into the fold to tip the odds in our favor when we make our move.
"Oh! Oh, yeah, I thought I could help more if I knew exactly what we had here," Louly says, only semi-convincingly.
Then, trying to distract the cook, "Did you see all this Chelish brandy and rum? I bet no one even knew it was here!
"Plus, some silver! That must be yours," she says, handing it to him. "Oooh, a cookbook! Can I borrow this? I can maybe learn some recipes and help you more."
Or, if I can scrape it clean, I can possibly use it to keep some extracts if I can remember any or figure any new ones out.
Bendrauss continues to wait for any sign that Moon is in trouble. I'll slash her throat if'n she tries anythin with that he unconsciously puts a hand on his hidden weapon.
"Aye Bendrauss, the young human lad seems a good fellow and he's been press ganged like the lot of us, Karn I's think his name be. The lady spoke to us both she did, we's go to meet her together, stay close if'n ya will."
Finding Karn at his stretches, Moon jokes with him until the timing looks good for meeting the lady, then motions for the lad to meander with him, trying to look inconspicuous. They meet with the lady together during the rum rations, a true highlight of the day on the Wormwood.
As the trying work of your first day aboard the Wormwood winds to a close, a call goes out to the entire crew of the ship. "Bloody Hour" is the whispered call among the crewmembers as they usher their fellow pirates onto the main deck. Master Scourge drives any stragglers at the end of his whip and lashing tongue.
The beauty of a sunset over the open sea is soon lost as the reason for the gathering is seen. Mister Plugg moves to the foreward railing of the poop deck, his voice ringing out and quieting the din. 'Ere we gather, as pirate law is enacted ba'fore us. For ya' new ones, this is the Bloody Hour, when all yer slouchin' durin' the day comes ta' call. No lashes tonight though, as we got another manner ta' attend to.
Master Scource and two of his ruffians emerge, then, a grime-streaked young man in between them, his wrists bound before him.
The young man is Jakes Magpie, a pirate caught stealing from the quartermaster's store the night before, as any shipmate will tell you. He is quickly tied to a thick rope that runs the length of the ship, from stem to stern. Within moments, Jakes is set up at the front of the ship, a look of utter horror on his face. Mister Plugg and a few of his lackeys hold the other end, which is fed under the keel of the ship.
The moment is fleeting, but it's an image that will forever be burned into your memeory. The appearance of Jakes, so helpless and distraught, bedraggled and beaten, bound by ropes as thick as a forearm, shown in a clear sunset against the harsh angles of the ship as he is yanked forward and down along the keel. Mister Plugg and his fellows pull on the ropes to drag the man along the keel, as Master Scourge and a few sap-wielding pirates keep the others in line. Over a minute passes in pregnant silence, until the body of Jakes Magpie appears at the stern of the ship, hauled up by the rope.
The body only barely resembles the human that it had been before. It has been cut to shreds by the barnacles on the keel, and Jakes' pallor suggests that he also drowned while suffering his gaping abrasions. The shredded remains are thrown overboard for the sharks.
A few observations are easy to see when looking at the reactions of those on deck, especially those who are also new to the Wormwood. A female halfling looks on in feigned indifference, but she has to look away with a gasp at the end. A tall man missing an ear (half hidden under a bandana) looks on in true indifference, his eyes glaring at Scourge and Plugg whenever he doesn't feel that they're looking. And, a gnomish man with a particularly foppish hat and an eyepatch sneer and turns away. He tries to console the halfling woman, but is spurned away.
Bosun Moon can't hide his shock and disgust at the brutal killing of the man. In that moment he sets his resolve, a solemn oath to Besmara, that he'll get revenge on Master Scourge for the horrible deed.
Ye dirty scallywag, you'll feel that same pain ye will, by me hand if'n Besmara blesses me.
The Moon's resolve is ever further set by what he sees during the act of murder, Aye, ye be even worse than Scourge ye miserable cur, tis a sickness an I's be lookin' forward ta spillin' ye blood!
As the body is dragged back up across the deck, Bosun Moon looks closely, etching it to memory to help fuel his revenge.
Look a' tha sad lad, cut ta ribbons he be. Tis not a fittin' fate fo' a little stealin'. Bosun Moon puts a reassuring hand over his hidden thieves' tools, considering the new implications to his craft.
Karn was about to introduce himself to the man that Bosun was talking to but was cut off as the crew begins pushing them all up on deck. Watching and digesting what is being said, Karn looks at Jack as they explain his crime. Expecting to see punishment more in line with the man's crime, Karn watches as they tie the bound man. However, Karn was not expecting the next act as they throw the man overboard.
Perception:
Horrified as the man starts being dragged along the side of the ship, Karn nearly misses Mr. Plugg's reaction. Howevr, spot it he did and Karn's eyes narrow in disgust and dislike. There is a man whose only goal is to bring pain.
As they hauled the carcass back on deck, Karn first gives a prayer to the poor man before thinking. Though I am new to this life, this is assuredly not Besmara's way. Should I survive this night, I swear to you oh Pirate Queen, that man and all on board like him will either learn what it means to be a pirate for follow Jack down to the depths. Since finding himself on board, Karn was content to simply do his tasks and learn the ropes of piracy. Now however, looking at the poor man's carcass before it was dumped to sea and seeing the reactions of the crew, he was determined to see Scourge and Plugg dragged to the same doom, even if it meant mutiny.
Kehlysch feels a wave of nausea pass through him as he sees the terrified young man viciously dragged to a slow, painful death.
He did not know this was to be his fate. A lashing, for certain, but not this. These men are brutal, and without mercy. I will not let them do this to me. If I am to die, I will die fighting, and take some of them with me.
WIth regard to the night action, I will go ahead a roll my Stealth check:
Ain't an easy life. Feller shouldn't have got caught. Pirating is not for the faint of heart... There will be more o' this when we board another ship.
"Sweet Gods," Louly whispers, gagging a bit as she sees what happened to the poor boy. "That's horrible!"
Her eyes fill with tears; even though she didn't know the boy, she wouldn't wish that fate on anyone.
Bendrauss seeing Louly moves to her side. If yer ta survive the life of a pirate you must harden yerself to these sights lass. Save it, and use it... when the time be right. He the pats her shoulder with a large hand and quickly moves back to find Gregory and Moon.
Bosun Moon looks at Karn and Bendrauss, his usual grin has vanished and the muscles of his jaw bulge as he grinds his teeth. Quietly and dripping with malice, "Besmara has a task for us, she does." With a glance at Gregor, Louly, and the quiet, odd looking man that was press ganged from the same tavern as the rest of the group, "and we'll be needin' all tha kindred souls we's can find."
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Gregor sees that Boson Moon is speaking candidly with Bendrauss, and a quick glance and a nod indicates that all present can be trusted.
Indeed. I'm sure there are more than the handful of us that are displeased with life aboard this ship. We need to bring them into the fold, and we need to do so beneath the captain's notice.
Bosun and his friend had raised good points. What was a ship without its captain and its captain without his crew. However, now was not the time nor place to discuss such matters, expecially when they couldn't yet be sure who in earshot could be trusted. In a barely audible whisper, Karn murmurs, "Now is not the time nor the place for such talk, unless you went to end up like poor Jack. Let us keep our heads down for now, see what we can learn about the crew.
This is the most that the man named Karn has spoken to any of them since they found themselves on board, a sign of his disgust at the acts of cruelty they all had just witnessed.
The keelhauling leaves several pirates with a rather unappealing pallor to their skin, but they move on, eager to prove that they're not to be the next "example." Plugg moves back up to the poop deck, where the Captain presumably sits, and Master Scourge makes short work of disbursing the rubberneckers. Within moments, a reedy half-orc woman with dark hair makes her way onto the main deck, lugging a large barrel. The deepening sun casts her body's shadow over the main deck, giving an ominous appearance that looms over the gathered shipmates. Her grin, as she sets the barrel down, is hideous, although it appears genuine.
Rum's a topside, ya' bastards! Draw up yer strumpets and roll out yer best set a' fancy clothes, cause its rum ration time!
The woman, Quartermaster Grok...Cut-throat Grok, that is, pours herself a tin cup and takes a long pull before turning to head back down the stairs, presumably to drink with Fishguts or to spend the evening in her store. Master Scourge and the other officers take their cups soon after, leaving the lowly pirate crew to their own.
As you wait for your drink, the fetching woman approaches you in a swaying gait. She has deep red hair under her tricorne hat, which is bedecked with a seagull feather. Her arms are tattooed with depictoins of the sea, and she clenches a clay pipe in between bright teech in a pouty mouth. Her clothes are worn to accentuate her figure, which is lithe with graceful curves. Well, then mates...your first day go as planned? As she grows nearer, she walks with her back to Master Scourge and pulls...from Besmara know's where...a rapier and a book. She hands them over to the group with a grin and a wink.
S'all I could get; not sure whose they are, but it's a start. Stow 'em away and do it quick; you've seen what happens to thieves. Her eyes mist over slightly, as if from a grief that appears quite real.
That's crazy. Punishments don't have to be that ... brutal ... and Gods willing, I'll never harden myself to these type of sights!
Still, despite her misgivings about the stranger's advice, she moves toward the other men she realizes must have been abducted along with her. "What do you have in mind?" she asks quietly. "Oh, and be careful! Fishguts said the ship, and the captain, hear everything."
With a wink at the fetching woman, Bosun Moon quickly stashes the goods in his loose fitting clothing. "Aye m'lady, thank ye! Besmara has brought us together as sure as tha tides!" Then, in a normal voice, he engages in light banter with the redheaded beauty. "Twas a tough day, it was, but good ta be back on tha seas. Tell us lass, how do ye be findin' yeself on this tub?"
The rum drinking is a welcome relief from the stress of the day, but Louly's warning puts fear in the Bosun. If'n the ship be listenin' we be dead men! Nuthin' ta be done fer it now, full sails ahead and may Besmara bless us true. But in Louly's words he finds a bit of hope as well.
"Fishguts may not be a fan o' tha captain then. Tell me lass, do ye have a place to stash some goods in tha kitchen? I's a tome an blade to give ye when the time be right."
That evening, when the group is away from prying eyes, Bosun Moon passes the tome and rapier to Louly for safekeeping.
Finding Gregor, the man tasked with rat catching and a small amount of freedom to roam the ship, the Moon continues with the beginnings of a plan. "Let me know if ye find a stash o' weapons, it likely be behind lock and key, but I's be dealing with that matey." The leering grin returns to Bosun Moon's face, the urge to get revenge for the keel-hauled thief lurking in his thoughts.