Laughing hysterically, as he is plopped down. "I meant Tao, since he has had a bad night of things. I was hoping to help sooth his wounds."
OH. TIEN MAN. CUDDLES BE RIGHT BACK. he hurries back up the stairs, snatches Tao from the deck and hauls him down to the lower deck like a bag of potatoes. He flops the unconscious man into a hammock next to Aldous's and looks up with a hopeful grin.
Smiling, he stands and gives Cuddles a pat on his well muscled arm. "Thank you, Cuddles, now let's see what we can do."
"He will have to rest the rest of the way, as our little fight this morning spent much of my magic," he says with a bit of frustration in his voice.
Enya winces at each blow Tao makes. Her eyes fill with tears as the sweet but clumsy man goes unconscious. She whispers to Mica, who is cowering in her arms:"Don't look my darling. There will be revenge. Besmara, bless him.."
She puts on a good face and takes her grog. Before she decides to sing her song for the night, she goes to the side of the boat. She turns her back on the boat, and to anyone looking they would see her "drinking".
She stands on some barrels in the middle of the deck and beckons all to gather round. Mica takes her place right by her master. For all of you for a hard days work!
The harmony sang by the otter is enough to make a grown naga cry. As Mica dances around the shoulders of her mistress, obviously happy to be back with her.
Huzzah Huzzah! We worked real hard!
Huzzah Huzzah! We ran and slaved!
Huzzah Huzzah! We rigged and tied!
Huzzah Huzzah! AND NO ONE DIED!!!
After her performance she hunts down the other bard on the boat to talk to him. Once she finds him, she smiles at him and begins to talk.
"You must be the bard Ive been hearing so much about. Maybe someday we can sing together. I think I could maybe be alright, but compared to you, oh the tales I have heard! If they are true you are truly talented!" She smiles and curtsies low to him. "And so attractive, too!" she giggles playfully. She seems to admire his mustache a little longer than usual.
As soon as her 'flirting' with Conchobhar, she goes to try and find Aldous. When she finds him, he is with Tao.
She tears up again as she remembers his lashings and hers the night before, the skin around the newly healed parts still sore. She knew he got it worse, and would have gladly taken his place, but there was a hatred growing inside of her. She could feel the time for action coming...
"Aldous, I know we don't know each other very well, but we have the same soul inside us. I will be a loyal friend to you, if you are a loyal friend to me." She holds out a trembling hand.
Reaching out, he squeezes her hand, "Loyal friends are something we will all need if we are to survive this. I will always be here for you as well," he says with a pained smile, hating that he could not rise Tao from the damage.
"I have two theories on why he was chosen. Us being outsiders being the common aspect of each, but I can assure you that they will all pay if it is in our power...maybe not soon...but they will," he keeps his head down so that everything is quiet.
"Do you know if any of the riggers were among those who attacked us this morning? I suspect they are more well liked among the crew than we are and turned him in despite missing the start of the day. I am worried we may have to deal with more of these attacks, I just hope that the healer woman is there to help us to some degree, because I can't keep this up every night. I really thought the others were going to get the punishment tonight," he sounds pained and yet slightly angry, reaching up to rub his shoulder, where the wasp is.
Alain was dragging his ass by the end of the day, "I thought farm work was hard!" He moans. He eats listlessly and a sits staring at the mug of rum until Enya sings. Something about her song perks him right up. He takes advantage of the distraction to attempt to stealthily drain the rum onto the deck them mime downing the mug.
He will attempt to entertain the crew with a story...
Cuddles stands listening to the two talking over Tao. Yet more words he doesn't understand get flung about, but this is serious business. They seem like they're making some kind of accord. And they're talking getting back at people. Or at least that's what 'they will pay' meant late time he heard it outside a merchant shop.
Some thing has been bothering him all day. Why did the sleeping men not get the whip, but poor Tao did? He dicedes now is as good a time as any to ask. He tries to match their tone of low conspiracy, but only manages to make himself talk a little higher. Thank goodness there's a song going on deck.
WHY DID SLEEPY MEN NOT GET BEAT TOO? SLEEPY MEN LATE, BAD NO-NO. CUDDLES LATE ONCE. GOT LASH LIKE TAO. EXCEPT CUDDLES NOT PASS OUT. CUDDLES LAUGH. BUT TAO SKINNY. WHY OTHER SKINNY CUDDLE FRIENDS NOT BEAT?
Looking over to Cuddles, he gives a sad smile, "I believe they may be favorites of the captain. If they were sent to test us, then perhaps it was the fact that Tao did not feel the need to swing in the fight is how he was slacking, but we had it well in hand between your wonderful hugs and our spells." He had not even thought about the fact that he never let go of Enya's hand.
Cuddles nods. He knew all those words. Captains played favorites all the time. It's how he got a lot of his work on the docks. It was wierd being on this side of it.
He trumps off to the deck just in time to hear the otter finish it's duet with one of the woman he'd been taken with. He claps loudly for the otter. The woman was pretty good too.
Once he is given the chance, Al seeks out Grok and gives her his winning smile, as he begins, "My friend, Kroop, said that you were the person to talk to if you needed anything on board. I was curious if you might have a metal, bladed belt that I was wearing before I came on to the ship. Or perhaps know where it went off to. If so, perhaps we could work something out?" he did not like not having his weapon, plus he wanted to see what they could get away with.
Enya smiles at the fact that Aldous' hand has continued to grasp hers. She took comfort, but didnt let him onto the fact she was enjoying it, maybe a bit too much. Weird things happened when he touched her skin. She tried to ignore it, dismissing it as the fact he is a healer.
She finally squeezed his hand and whispered:
After telling his tale Alain will go below, "Damn, is he O.K.? Why did they give him the lash? He didn't do anything, did he?"
"Each of us will taste the whip before it is over with, if my guess is correct. I just hope I am able to keep us all healed. Could be trouble the night I taste the whip, which will happen if Kroop stays drunk for a few more days. I'm not that experienced a cook."
I watch in horror each time as the whip falls with a crack of the air and rips open the skin on Tao's back. I actually feel grateful for him once he passes out, it means he does not have to suffer the pain any more. Tears are building in my eyes and I glare at Scourge, "He will pay, first his men and then him ... maybe the deep curse him!"
I quietly walk off to the Rum Ration and sit staring at my drink for a good while, even if people are staring at me for not drinking. After a few minutes I place my hand over the tankard and place my hand on my head muttering some words. I know the container is filling up with cool liquid, but to everyone else it looks like I am simply crying. I then raise my head and wipe my hands and face together before downing the drink quickly.
Seeing Cuddles carrying Aldous downstairs I look a little confused and then when he comes back and carries Tao down I get up and follow. Seeing Aldous remove some of the pain the poor man is obviously feeling, I walk over to his unconscious body and place my hand on his forehead, my hand glows a faint golden colour and a golden liquid runs down his forehead and into his eyes and mouth, covering his face before seeping into the skin.
I smile sadly, knowing that I had helped in some way, this man was different to most and doesn't treat me differently. I listen to the conversation being had and join in with a whisper, "What if Scourge met with an accident and fell over board during the night?" After hearing the reply I head to my hammock and pick up Arirai who is happy to see me again, I place him around my shoulders and stroke his head again. I nod to the people thinking about what to do and head upstairs to find Grok, it just happens that as I leave, Aldous follows me.
Once at Grok I stand there quietly and let Aldous ask his question, once he has gone I smile to the woman and sit down on the floor. Arirai climbs down my shoulders and sits as well looking up at Grok. "I'm afraid that Arirai and Mica are too different, so Arirai cannot perform like that. But he is intelligent and can collect things if you ask him nicely and can perform simple tricks like, Sit, Stay, Lay down. However he cannot be treated as a child. I see that he has been kept well while with you and I wonder if you would like to keep him during the day, I do not want to risk him getting injured during my work and he seems to enjoy your presence." I await a reply quietly, sitting perfectly still, just stroking Arirai's back.
The night is filled with furtive nightmares and strange visions.
What happened? Where am I? Last I remember...
A sudden white hot flash rakes through his mind as the image of his friends wide eyed wince at him. The winces are followed by a flash of searing pain and the familiar crack as the burning races through his back. A calm comes over him as he hears voices.
"...will have to rest..."
"...the same soul inside... Loyal friend..."
"...GOT LASH LIKE TAO..."
Another flash of hot pain shudders through his thoughts as he feels another lash tear into him. His mind is hazy and unfocused. Chaotic and scattered. The image of Plugg blinks into his vision and fades painfully slowly like the image of the sun burned into one's eyes after looking into it, then shutting your eyes. Again, another calm moves into his thoughts and more voices follow.
"... Wonderful hugs... need to swing..."
"Damn, is he... give him the lash?..."
"...met with an accident..."
The last whisper caught his attention and mildly focused his thoughts. He struggles in his mind but his body feels like heavy lead. It feels like Cuddles is sitting on his chest and arms. He tries to open his eyes but they feel like they are stuck fast with glue. The sound of a whip echos through his thoughts and an image of Plugg grinning and raising that whip is again burned into his view. Then, the blackness returns to him and everything goes silent again. Upon waking the next morning, the nights visions and all he heard fade away like so many dreams do. Try as he may to recall his visions they seems to be slipping through his fingers like so much sand.
A small smile creeps across Enya's face as Aldous gives her his warning.
Mica lays gently on Tao's chest, trying to comfort the restless man, making small little chirps and purrs. Enya feels as though Mica truly cares for the health of this man. "Don't worry Tao, it will ba alright in the end..."
Where's my spiky whip???
Grok looks around in the storeroom for a minute then comes out with a scorpion whip that looks exactly like yours. What a coincidence! "You mean one of these things? Yeah, this is the only one I got in stock. You can have it for the measly price of 5gp." She grins crookedly.
@Enya: Conchobhar looks extremely pleased by your flattery and sings you a spontaneous little ditty about a fiery redheaded woman. He's moderately talented, but you're sure that you could do better.
@River: Grok's perfectly happy to look after Arirai during the day and will let you stop by to visit whenever you desire.
@Aldous: As you dispose of your rum, you notice Master Scourge glaring at you....
@Cuddles: You're rapidly becoming the most charismatic half-orc ever!
@Alain: You ditch your rum without any trouble, and your story goes over well with the crew.
@Tao: Now you know what happens when you skip your rum ration. After you wake up and check your back in a mirror, you realize you have five new scars. But Scourge said the punishment was six lashes....
"That is a good bit more than I have. Do you think you could let it go for twelve silver and a promise for alcohol for several nights? Any night that I can still cast a spell, I can come buy and make you a night cap. Perhaps some mead or wine?" he says hopeful, he does not want to be caught without a weapon the next time crew members attack.
Enya decides that she has had enough for today. She walks to her quarters and curls up with Mica to attempt to get some shut eye. "Goodnight my little friend."
She keeps her head facing the door, if anyone tries anything funny, she will know.
I nod my head in thanks to Grok and spend a little time with her just talking to her and becoming better friends. I also inquire about the old Dwarf on board, "I've seen him around a few times and have had to deliver a couple of messages for him. Is there anything I shouldn't say to him?"
After our nice conversation I pick up Arirai where he runs up my arm and rests across my shoulders in his usual manner. "I shall drop him off to you before our duties are given to us and pick him up after the Rum Ration, if that's okay?" With that, I turn and return to my hammock, I place Arirai on a barrel beside the hammock and try to climb in once again.
As the night before I try to pull myself into the hammock, but roll out the other side, landing on my back with a thump. Arirai is making noises that could only be laughing, I glare at him from the floor before standing up and trying the same technique as the night before.
I manage to climb in and the sides engulf me again, nothing can be seen outside and nothing can be seen inside. The only place that anyone can see in or I out, is above me. There is a slight scratching sound as Arirai climbs up the post and jumps into the hammock too, he curls up into a ball and falls asleep on my diaphragm. I reach up with my hand and gently stroke him until a soft purring noise can be heard, once I can hear this I too drift off into a quiet sleep.
In the morning I am one of the first to wake again and spend a few minutes concentrating before climbing out and washing. When I see Aldous begin his morning prayers, I sit beside him on the floor with Arirai on a barrel in front of me and join him in silent meditation.
The morning find Tao as the light shines in from a porthole directly into his face. The brightness burns straight through his eye lids and forces him out of his fitful slumber. He throws an arm across his eyes trying to realign his thoughts and remember where he was. It takes a few moments before he remembers his last conscious memories and the pain that accompanied it.
He slowly gets up out of the hammock feeling much better than one would expect to feel after being whipped into unconsciousness a half day prior. He walks around the room a few times stretching and twisting noticing the feel of the wounds are all but non-existent aside from the residual hum of soreness, but none of the usual agony he was used to after lashes that severe. He looks in the mirror to see the five new pink marks decorating this already severely scarred back.
Cuddles is worn out be the time he reaches his hammock. He flops into the comfy swinging bed and is out almost instantly.
He wakes the next morning feeling refreshed. He rolls out of his hammock and stretches. The human he had hauled down here yesterday and one of the girls he was talking with are sitting nearby, but not talking. The thought crosses his mind that they might sleep like that. Seems plausible.
He smacks his lips and meanders up to the deck for his assignment. He could get used to this life.
Once I have finished my meditating I stand up and pick up Arirai, then rush up the stairs a few minutes before the assignments are given out. I rush to Grok's and knock on the door, once she opens it I will gently pass her Arirai, stroke him on the head and then rush back to the deck to receive my daily duties.
Enya stretches as Mica licks her cheek. She opened her eyes slowly, still remembering the beatings of last night and the nightmares that wrecked her sleep. She stroked Mica's body a few times, then got up slowly.
She began to dress when she noticed the two people sitting still. It was not until she recognized them as Aldous and River that she found her breath again.
Lacing up her boots and her corsette, she headed to the main deck, not saying a word, clutching Mica protectively.
Day Three - Jobs
Alain: Hauling Rope/Knot Work
Aldous: Turtle Hunting; Kroop is drunk again
Cuddles: Hauling Rope/Knot Work
Enya: Runner
River: Swab the Decks
Tao Sheng: Repairs
Nothing unusual happens this morning, and you receive your work assignments without any fuss. Aside from the usual dirty looks from Scourge and his cronies, things seem quiet.
It takes me a couple of minutes to find all of the equipment to scrub the decks and once I have found it I start working immediately. I make sure just to work throughout the day, I keep my head down and make sure that I am not scrubbing next to anyone in case they slip over on the wet deck.
"I would rather have been another runner, but I suppose that would be making things too easy for me and wouldn't seem like a punishment to them then. At least Arirai is not here having to do this as well."
I get my work done quietly and make sure to be very thorough, every time the bucket needs emptying I throw the water over the side of the ship and fill it back up with cool clean water again. I make sure to drink plenty of clean water during the day . By the end of the day my entire body aches and my fingers are slightly numb, but I feel satisfied with the work I have done.
Alain will continue to try and influence Rosie with friendly conversation. He'll work in an innocuous question just to see how forthcoming she is, "How long have you been aboard this ship?"
He does well with the knot work but hauling the heavy coils of rope nearly kills him.
Tao gets up on deck taking a deep breath of the salty air, stretches, and cracks his neck and knuckles. He still doesn't feel completely back up to full strength, but who ever does on a ship like this. He smiles around at the crew before locking eyes with a few of his friends. Then speaks in a calm and even tone.
Today is a good day. A good day to say... F#@k it.
Morning:
The following morning, he says his prayers, preaches to the group, leaving Alain out of the effects since most of them are for more combat oriented characters, then he reports to galley and groans as he sees that Kroop is once again plastered. "Perhaps today, I should not give you extra booze, good sir," he says with a grin and a shake of his head.
Seeing the captain's orders on the table, he shakes his head. Well, this is going to take a bit of luck.
At this point, he gathers a few of the harpoons and other pieces of fishing gear and goes out onto the dock, looking for the easiest way down for him.
Cuddles feels fine to start the day, but he soon tires and has to concentrate to finish his work quota by the time his shift is over. He can't figure out why, but his muscles seem to simply not work today. The biggest load he can handle is 200 pounds.
Letting out a sigh, he begins to cast nets to catch the turtles, but he invokes the luck of his goddess to assist him in his fishing.
Luck is his Lady today, as he pulls in the turtles, he gathers his nets and drags the animals beneath to the galley once more and begins to prepare them, going over the book as much as possible to figure out how to clean them and cook a nice turtle stew for the crew, his entire day is very focused on this, hoping luck continues to be with him for this.
Luck stays with him as he smells something that is largely edible and he breaths a sigh of relief.
Enya was not expecting to be running all about today. She shuffled from person to person, relaying messages with a singsong melody to each sentence. Mica takes written messages and, with the speed of a small furry cutie-pie, delivers her messages swiftly and, surprisingly better than most humans.
When there seems to be a break for a few minutes, she walks up to a young man whittling. "I see you are an artist. What are you making? It is lovely."
She sits down by him, smiling brightly, her sun-tanned skin glowing under the heat of the sun, her hair the color of dancing flames.
She flashes her smile as Mica churrups curiously.
Throughout the day, whenever he gets a chance, Alain will approach each of the newcomers to the ship, "We're all in a bit of a jam here. Can we get together tonight and compare notes?"
Enya simply nods at Alains request.
Cuddles grunts as he tosses a massive coil of rope up to the top of a stack in the cargo hold and says, OK. He doesn't really know what Alain is talking about, but he'll go anyway.
I am busy working when Alain comes up to me and speaks, I do not verbally reply, but I do nod while I am working.
contains two beds and two footlockers. The Wormwood’s
quartermaster, Cut-Throat Grok, and ship’s cook, Ambrose
“Fishguts” Kroop, share this cabin with several of Kroop’s
chickens. Kroop is fast asleep in his bed. His breath smells of rum, and he's mumbling indistinctly.
Enya smiles her winning smile. "Oh I would like that very much!" Here eyes burn with the intensity of a raging fire and she gives off a welcoming glow. She hums to him quietly as he carves.
Mica curls in Enya's lap for a rest as she watches the man do his craft.
Seeing there isn't much in the quarters of the snoring cook and quartermaster, Tao makes his way back up to the deck. As he makes his way through the ship, the nagging thought of who Aldous was doing, cooking for the whole ship on his own. As his mind drifts and he nearly makes it back to his post when Alain intercepts him.
"We're all in a bit of a jam here. Can we get together tonight and compare notes?"
Tao notices the concern in his eyes and nods to him solemnly. He then rests a hand on his shoulder reassuring him he will be there. His vantage point from the main mast had afforded him a good view of the ship and the crew. He noticed how a few of his friends would struggle from time to time. This may be a good opportunity to see if he can off them any help. Or maybe the discussion was to be on a different matter all together...