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"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho."
"We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot,
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho."
"Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We kindle and char, inflame and ignite,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho."
"We burn up the city, we're really a fright,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.
We're rascals, scoundrels, villans, and knaves,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho."
"We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs,
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho."
You awaken in darkness, a faint recollection of a song flitting across your mind, the smell of salt and sickness heavy in the air, your head pounding from too much cheap wine, and for the unlucky of you, from the fists and boots of your captors.
As you each come screaming into consciousness, you recall the night before, whether it be drinking and singing in some barroom, before your memories fade to a strange darkness, or carnal pleasure followed by bitter betrayal. You get a general sense that you are not alone in the hold, but most of you can not see or make out where anyone else is. Those of you who can note that the hold is mostly empty, bar for six very confused creatures, and some boxes and barrels.
You never did see the cudgel that hit you from behind, but you felt it, as surely as you felt your face being driven into the ground and the beating that followed. Your hand twitches towards your weapon but you find yourself unarmed.
You find yourself lying on your side, with a pool of vomit spreading out before you. Your personal effects have all been seized.
Damn it, why did you have that last drink?! and why dose your head hurt
Before you can do little more than open your eyes and wonder about the lack of equipment and your circumstances, you hear heavy footfalls on the boards, before being blinded as light floods the hold. Squinting against the glare of the lamp, you find yourself staring at a hobgoblin with long black hair, holding a whip. Behind him stands a collection of burly, grizzled looking pirates, each carrying a sap in their meaty fists, grinning at you maliciously. Before you can register much more, your eyes are drawn back to the man before you with a loud crack of his whip.
"“Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fish guts fry ye up for breakfast!”
all the crew laugh with his threat
Scruug, at first, considered trying to burn his way out of this situation. Worked before why not now? STUPID SCRUUG! Lots of dem an only one of you!. With that Scruug let's out one last groan followed by a killer look at his captor's, all the while stealing glances at the golden eyed gobo he woke up to.
Maybe not be TO bad...
Sloog glances around the hold as he scratches at his peg leg. Even though he has no feeling there, it's a hard habit to break. Scritch. Scritch. Scritch.
No weapons. No armor. But no bonds, either. Looking around, he sees the other gobs also seemingly as confused as he is. Dis strange. Me back on boat but not old boat and dis not old crew. And goat is gone. Too bad. Goat and I had fun.
And then the hobgoblin arrives with more pirates behind him. Sloog doesn't recognize him and isn't well oriented just yet. He gets up and ambles over towards the hob, one foot, one peg leg--slap, crack, slap, crack--trying to rub the pounding of his head. "Sloog like sausage. Maybe help with hammer in head. Eat fish guts, too."
[b]Hm.[/n] - says the immensely tall and fat goblin, pushing with difficulty to stand up.
He looks around, seeing the other goblins. A ton of gobbos here, huh. Gadoongo hungry. Peeps probably wouldn't miss one or two.
His thoughts are interrupted when he was taken with the group blindfolded. Finally, he saw the hobgoblin and recognized him from the last night. Making an effort to not spit on him, the oversized goblin just scratches his fat neck, and moves silently up deck.
Gadoongo on a damn boat. Would eat a horse now., he thinks as he moves.
Threatened with bodily harm, Kraleck walks out of the hold to meet 'the captain'. Upon exiting, the wizard quickly looks around the hold, looking for his precious spellbook.
They're all going to pay! They're ALL going to die! If Desna smiles on me, they don't realize how powerful I am.
Carina blearily opens her eyes, then shuts them again. Oof. Light hurts. That guy looking at me not making it any better. This gonna suck.
Events of the night rush back to her, and she smacks her head on the back of the wall in frustration. Damn, damn, damn. This is really happening. Not Harrigan, anyone but him...
Carina opens her eyes faintly again. It's less painful this time. The other goblin's still staring at her, mouth agape. "Draw a picture, bud. It'll last longer..."
"Unnnhhh." That's about the gist of what I can get right now. Well, I seem.... whole. A little bloody, but I've been much worse. Hey! Goblins! How fortuitous! Now maybe I can figure out where I am."Wait, we're on a boat?" I could have sworn I was in a bar. Huh? Apparently we're on a boat now.
My head is far too foggy. Perhaps some fresh air will clear my head.
Scruug stops looking in the hobgoblins direction and instead focuses both of his eyes on the goblin that just spoke to him. Blushing at her words, (Barely noticeable behind all his scars and burn marks as it may be) Scruug stammers out a reply.
"D-draw... P-p-picture."
Scruug smiles a grin so wide you'd swear his head was about to fly in two, and... is that steam coming off him?
"Y-you talk... t-to Scruug." With that Scruug holds his arms out, almost reflexively in a "give me a hug" gesture.
"Oh... the headache. Blessed Zug; I should have just drunk what your power allowed me to create. And who are these around me? They smell odd and bad... ," says Gnaly.
Gnaly's head, still pulsing, makes the laughter sound like she's being hammered multiple times on her head. She follows the hobgoblin's command on deck to meet the Captain... She hopes to be able to get hold of her items, particularly her precious holy symbol.
Carina sighs. "Always the crazies. Why do I always get crazies?" she mutters to herself.
Focusing back on the other goblin, she levels a glare at him. "Don't know what you plan on doing with your arms out like that...am not a hugger. And dont let these other guys see you doing that. We on pirate ship. Don't think they'll appreciate touchy-feely stuff. Even less than I do."
Scruug puffs out his cheeks in an almost aggressive display. Still puffing, he begins twords the stairs. Head still turned to look at the mean, no hug, pretty goblin.
He runs into the wall before finding the stairs.
"stop that looly gagging and get up there move ye swabs" a with cracks at your back to get you to move faster and a few more crew mates shove you up the stairs,,,
After a bit more pushing and shoving, eventually you find yourself on deck, set apart from the rest of the crew, and standing beside a group of four goblins who, by the looks of their clothes and confused expressions, must also be new 'recruits'. Standing before you, hands pressed to his hips, is a a massive monkey goblin who exudes an air of command(he is a monkey goblin as well as a oversized goblin). As you settle in to place, he steps forward with a cruel grin beginning to cross his face.
“Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for ‘volunteering’ to join my crew. I’m Barnabas Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don’t speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that rule and we’ll all get along fine." He makes to turn away, before glancing back at you all, as if he had just remembered something.
“Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. im lookin' at ye big scallywag no eatin' th' weeer ones or 'twill be ye gettin' cooked tonight. There’ll be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. Mr. Plugg! If you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of ’em.”
The Captain turns and walks away, leaving you to the tender ministrations of his Lieutenant, Mister Plugg and the ever pleasant Master Scourge. The willowy Lieutenant steps forward, glaring down at you with obvious distaste.
”Welcome aboard the Wormwood ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jacoma Plugg, but you can call me Sir, or Lieutenant, or Mister Plugg, at the very least. Anything less and I will have you beaten. Do it twice and I’ll have you locked in the hotbox myself. Now, down to business, this is not a pleasure boat, nor are you guests, you will work while you are here and you will work hard!” He turned and moved over towards the center of the deck, his hands clasped behind his back.
”This is the mainmast and up above us is the Crowsnest. This is where our lookouts are stationed. The lines and ropes are known as the rigging. Now we are in need of a rigger so we are going to have a little competition, first one up to the Crowsnest becomes a rigger and doesn’t have to swab the deck. Savvy? Boots off and to the line here,” he pointed at a marking on the deck.
”On my mark you’ll scurry up to that Crowsnest or you’ll wish you had. Now…. GO!”
"B-but I didn't voluntear! Sir!" Gnaly says, but quickly realises no one cares. She looks up at the Crow's nest, so far above.
Well, if I get my symbol back swabbing the neck won't be so painful... Gnaly things, as she tries to ascend the rigging.
Gnaly manages to ascend, but tries not to look down. She constantly looks behind her, expecting to be pulled down by another of the goblins.
The swaying of the ship is getting to Gnaly, but the little priestess perseveres.
Zug must have blessed me! Up an up and...
Gnaly loses her grip and dangles down. From the giggling of her crewmates no one cares if she falls to her death.
Sloog watches Harrigan and listens to Mr. Plugg and finds himself disappointed as he rubs his tummy. So, I guess that means no sausages. Damn.
Still, the challenge laid before them touches one of Sloog's childhood memories of swinging through the trees near the longshanks' village, hunting for smaller longshanks and their "pets", those damned dogs. Mmm. Roast dog. I swear they promised sausages. Maybe if I climb this, I'll get some breakfast. Or grog. Something for this headache.
Deprived of his weapons and clearly outclassed by the bigger gobbos, fighting doesn't even occur to Sloog.
Sloog moves nimbly and quickly up the nets and ropes like he was born to them, mostly oblivious to the other gobbos in the ropes with him. As they near the top and Gnaly goes tumbling, Sloog pauses briefly to point and laugh. "That's not how you get down! Hahahahaha!"
Carina cracks her knuckles, stretches a bit, and is up the rope in seconds. "Come on, slowpokes! Lovely view up here!" she cackles, dangling from a rope without a care in the world.
Kraleck waits defiantly, arms crossed, for the contest he can't win to be over. The wizard takes this time to learn his surrounds, possibly gathering clues on where his spellbook is kept.
Gadoongo scratches his unshaved beard, looking at the monkey goblin. She's a little skinny for his taste, but sometimes the marrowbone of such goblins has something bittersweet about it. He didn't expect to be able to climb faster than her, but climbed right behind just in case she was to fall - he could catch her on his jaws.
Laughing at the thought but too lazy to put much of an effort, Gadoongo climbed on his own just to pretend he was trying to win. He particularly didn't like much the sweat of such task, so his enthusiasm wasn't really that great.
"Scruug climb fastest!" Yells Scruug, only to have his hopes dashed as the monkey goblin he has been fawning over zips up the line and to the top before he has even had a chance to get more than 5 feet off the ground. "M-maybe if Scruug climb second fastest, Scruug get hug from pretty gobo..."
Well lets hope that isn't a sign of things to come.
"DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! HATE CLIMBING! Rather hug a horse..."
Lt.Plug eye Kaleck with contempt then speaks with a growl
"Oh it seams we 'ave one fellow that dose nah know wha' a order be dose he lads. Well Master Scourge would ye care t' give this fat headed one a boost if ye' will"
a whip cracks at Kaleck "well wha' ye standin' thar wit' ye big eyes 'n mouth open fer catchin' flies move ye filthy dog"
Master Scourge turns to scruug
"what need old Scourge to light a fire you ye' cheeks to cur"
some of the other "recruits" try to knock each other and the clear winner off before she can make it to the top but cant catch her with that natural ability she possess.
all laughs when the salty goblin nearly falls from the top mast
At the mention of fire under him, Scruug begins to sweat profusely. "N-n-n-n-no b-burn S-s-s-s-scruug!"
Catching yourself is a reflex save right?
Scruug barely manages to keep hold of the mast as he grabs a particularly slick rope and nearly falls. Fear overwhelms Scruug at this point as he half falls, half climbs back down the mast. Clearly not willing to break his neck just to get to be the rigger.
Gnaly can't keep up with the monkey goblin, and can only watch as Carina jumps ahead. Gnaly considers casting a create water to stop Carina, but realises she doesn't have her holy symbol. Maybe it's better I don't reveal the powers Zog gives me anyway, she reassures herself.
A ship full of goblins; though not sure about that oversized one. Looks a bit of a lug. This should be... quite a journey. There must be a reason Zog has brought us together! Gnaly says. Maybe it's time to start getting friendly before Zog condemns the ship to a watery grave. Perhaps that was her purpose to being on this half-wreck...
"Name's Gnaly, blessed of Zogmutot!" she shouts to the other goblins.
"How's the view up there, long limbed one?" she shouts to Carina.
"Listen, moron, sir", speaks Kraleck to Plug, "I'm going to try to use small words so your infantile mind can grasp it: I'm not a good climber. Why should I waste my time on a stupid completion, when I KNOW I'm going to win it. So, give me the bucket and soap, so I can get started on 'swapping the deck', as you say.....sir."
Carina perches off to the side of the mast, making a bit of room for anyone else to come up next to her. She yells back down at the female goblin.
"Not too bad-unless you don't like not seeing land anywhere, in which case the view sucks. Nice to meet you, by the way-I'm Carina."
Scruug goes instantly from shaking to a light smile as Gnaly introduces herself. "Hello Gnaly, name is Scruug!" Scruug says pointing to himself.
Scruug once again, reaches out his arms in the direction of the other goblin in the soon to be famous give me a hug Gesture. "Gnaly nice right? N-no mean to Scruug, right?
Hey, little ones. Me, Gadoongo! - he laughs slowly while introducing himself. He somehow liked these small ones - they were kidnapped with him, so he feels a sense of comradery. Or, at least, he's not immediately willing to eat any of them.
Sloog eyes Carina through red eyes narrowed to slits. I was supposed to win... Still, she climbed fast. Very fast. Clambering up the last few feet behind her, before the other gobbos make it, he grumbles in Goblin, "You don't see any breakfast, do you? Or...land?"
Sloog looks around the horizon to see if there is any land in sight.
Coming to the same conclusion as Carina, he grumbles and curses. As the rest of the gobbos arrive, he waves down at them. "Sloog. Welcome to the high seas. Anyone see breakfast? Or grog? I have a terrible headache and the idiot with the whip didn't seem to know anything about food."
"Sorry, no food on me. But if you can find my stuff, I had a waffle iron there. You ever had a waffle? It's like bread that's sweet and made of squares. I used to be a cook on land, maybe I could whip something up if we can find any scraps."
Speaking in Goblin and trying to ensure that Plugg doesn't hear, Gnaly says in Goblin:
If I could get me holy symbol back I be able to give all of us some alcohol to go along with that sweet bread thing. *CACKLE* What say we take over this ship once we get our sea legs, uh? Gnaly winks.
Sloog's stomach rumbles louder than a small goblin's stomach ought to be able. "Mmm. Waffle sounds delicious." He winks at Gnaly, "If we find your holy symbol, maybe we can find my magic wand. It doesn't do a lot of magic, but makes huge booms, like thunder, and spits fire, then makes things explode and kills them." He glances down at Plugg and Scourge. "Like stupid, bossy jerks with no breakfast."
Gadoongo hears the exchange of words with interest, but doesn't say anything. He's hungry and using his monkish patience to avoid eating one of them. Right now, those "waffle" things sounded fantastic. Yet, the very fat goblin prefers to wait and better understand the ship nuances. He'd love to see his stuff again too, but had to be smart about it.
"Breakfast? Yes, breakfast sounds good." The new goblin looks around, seemingly somewhat dazed. "I don't see any breakfast. But I like the idea." He snaps his fingers. "Oh yeah! My name is Raph. You can call me... Raph."
Turning to the one who was whipped, he says, "I like the way you speak, all... smarty. Where are our things? I think I had some things."
As if seeing it for the first time, he reaches up to the rigging, climbs a few feet, just to give it a try, and hops back down. He grabs a couple of the recruits (that tried to knock Carina off) by the scruff of the neck and bangs their heads together. "And no cheating."
"Seems like we all need stuff to really be able to do things. I heard the guy at the bottom of the master complaining about a spellbook earlier, too. So maybe we make finding our things our first priority, then go from there?"
Kraleck looks at Mr.plug with defiance saying "Listen, moron, sir", speaks Kraleck to Plug, "I'm going to try to use small words so your infantile mind can grasp it: I'm not a good climber. Why should I waste my time on a stupid completion, when I KNOW I'm going to win it. So, give me the bucket and soap, so I can get started on 'swapping the deck', as you say.....sir."
anger flashes hard on the hobgoblins face griping his whip so tightly is creaks with the strain. Master Scourge steps forward with murder in his eyes "wha' was that ye dog stain, when Mr.plug gives 'n order 'tis t' be followed ye reckon jus' 'cause ye 'ave a bigger head 'n bigger words. Ill show ye wha' it means t'.." before Master Scourge can take action he is stopped by Mr.Plug
"no need for that yet Master Scourge this one will learn ether by the whip or the box soon enogh as for now it seams we have a winner whats you name monkey" Mr. Plug calls up to the cows nest...
"well stay up in the nest job starts now and ye' best not let me hear ye' been sleeping on the job less you want to loss an apendage or two" mr.plug calls out to her
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sloog looks through the riggingat Plugg while he talks, then mutters to the nearby gobbos, "Hmm. I guess this means the rest of us...go back down? Too bad. Now I really want a waffle. Eh, maybe they'll have those fishguts the ugly one mentioned." Sloog sighs, his stomach still growling, and begins the descent.
Looking into the overseers eyes, the proud goblin introduces himself.
"I am Kraleck. Master of the Arcane. And a poor choice for pirate material".
"The name's Carina! Aye aye, sir!"
She then mutters to herself "Not like he'd catch me up here sleeping, the idiot can't even hear us talking up here. Hope he realizes I can't see in the dark."
"Kraleck, perhaps it would not be wise to anger those who would enslave us, at least not on the first day."
Raph glances up at the goblins making their way down. He shrugs. "Not the first floor I've cleaned, possibly not the last."
He walks over to the mops, grabs one and spins it a few times in his hand to get the feel for it. He grabs a bucket, sighs and begins to swab the deck.
Gnaly descends to the deck. "Well pass me a mop and let's get to it! Don't be pressing too hard or the wood might break!" Gnaly says. She tries to figure out how many other crew there are on board.
Scruug nods at all the others grabbing mops, before getting his own however he calls up to the crows nest. "SCRUUG BE WAITING! DO GOOD JOB AND DON'T FALL AN GO SPLAT!" Grabbing a mop Scruug begins to mumble to himself as he cleans.
Showing mild irritattion at the monk interference in his conversation, Kraleck quickly smiles, and motions his hand to the mops and brushes, never losing eye contact with Master Scourge, as if to say, By your leave, then?
Sloog clambers back down to the deck, glances at Kralek and the marks left by the lash, and shrugs. He's not a bright one. Maybe they'll turn him into sausages?
He looks back at Plugg and Scourge, half curious and half wary, waiting for the next task but staying out of reach of Scourge's whip.
Master Scourge looks at Karleck a sneer grows on his face as he laughs "A "master be magicgsal arts it says well cant take a piss wit' out hittin' someone who clams t' 'ave all th' magic in th' world. Well go on then make th' ship fly or how bout ye send us t' a new place wha' was it aw telipartin' right, No can do it mr.wizard then loot this rag 'n get t' swabbin' th' deck since ye wants it so badly" the crew laugh at his joke then mr.plug snaps his whip... silence from the crew
"wha' are th' rest o' ye doin' thars work t' be done move t' yer task lads"
the crew give they'er aye ayes and move to work
Mr.Plug looks at the rest of you and shakes his head "well there is more work to be assigned but since you all seam so interested in licking the deck get to it, should you be of a mind for more rewarding work or at least not be the bottom dogs come find me or ask Master Scourge to find me there is always more work to be done." with that he nods to Master Scourge who take command of you lot. Mr.plug walks away giving orders here and there to the crew as the move about there work...
Master Scourge hand the rest mops and buckets but give Kraleck a rag growling at him he says "ye 'ave better learn some respect 'n fast lad fer at some point ye wont 'ave mr.plug t' stay me hand...NOW GET TO IT"
Sloog watches Plugg and Scourge amble off then he shrugs, grabs a mop and bucket, and gets to it. This proves very boring, though, so he tries to chat up some other crew in Common.
"Me Sloog. You be...?"
"All dis mopping but still so messy. Dis poop deck? Ha!"
"When we get sausages and fish guts?"
Carina sits on the top of the mast (Was there a sailor-y word for that bit of wood? She decided to find out later) and kicks her feet back and forth while she whistles to herself. "Huh. All things considered...this isn't too bad. Nice day, warm out, nice little breeze up here. This is gonna suck during a storm though."
She scans the horizon slowly, trying to do her job. She's taking it seriously, for now. Who knows how long that'll last?
"Poop deck? OOOoooohh, I get it!" Raph's laughter sounds a bit like a hyena, possibly not a healthy one.
"Really, I don't know why anyone would require a different job. This builds muscle and character. Plus..." he gives his mop a twirl and smacks one of the rabble goblins in the back of the head with the mop end, "staff training. I feel somewhat better having a potential weapon in my hand." The others snicker at the goblin who now has a wet head. He bristles in anger, but another staff twirl quickly cows his dissent.
Gnaly approaches Master Scourge, though trying to stay far away from his whip range.
"Well there be enough goblins wiping the deck. What other work might there be? Anything a bit more interesting? If I'd get some of me gear back I could turn water into grog," Gnaly says, quivering slightly from being apart from her holy symbol, an effigy of a humanoid figure she found drifting in the ocean.