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Dark Skies, flashes of lightning, the inconsistent booming and clapping of thunder, and unyielding rain herald the meeting of a small band of pirates (the PCs) from various areas of the world.
Shadows and the flicker of candles line the walls of the small inn you've all just recently arrived in. The bartender eyes the colorful group suspiciously, unhappy to be serving potential scourges of the sea.
You all sit around an oaken circular table, mugs of the drink of your choice at your breasts and light meals accompanying them, that the man that brought you all together had provided.
He slowly sits and props his feet on the table, taking a draft of his ale before regarding you all with a stare, judging you equally and without expression. As his cutlass clacks against the side of his chair, he puts a hand to it to stop the pendulum motion, then speaks slowly and quietly.
"Feller' men of various backgrounds and occupations, I ask ye' not ta' join me wth any pressure. Do what ye' will. What be yer decisions?"
Marek's end of the table is well-scored from his spontaneous rounds of Five Finger Fillet between savoring slow swigs of ale, swishing even the cheap swill around in his mouth reverently before swallowing, treating each sip as if it were his last.
"Aye," he says matter-of-factly and perhaps louder than necessary, clunking down his empty mug next to a knife plunged at a 45° angle into the table. "I'm in."
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"Well I be glad ta see someone's got something down their pants!", the man chortles, "What 'bout the rest a' ye!"
Really?! I start the campaign one day off track, and all but one of you fail to post when you see it's starting. If I get nothing from ye by Friday, yer all ta be scrubbin' the poop deck!
The young bloke sitting at the opposite end of the table of Marek looks appreciative at the man.
"Aye i'll be joining as well, meant to be going on a sea voyage for some time now."
He drinks from his mug of ale as he looks around the bar, expecting his father to barge in and teel him he has changed his mind about this crew.
He slides his finished plate of sole and bread a bit more to the front, indicating he is finished and ready to go.
Yannic's first cup of ale is still untouched, he looks at he man and says: "Aye In I am. A toast For riches and fame and our dishonored host" Yannic smiles as he says the last words implying them as a compliment. At the same time he points to the man. Declaring him as "host" and not the bartender
I am with you. Kaan pipes in. It's been too long since a deck rolled beneath my feet.
He raises his mug to Yannic's toast.
"What jobs're available?" Marek asks, standing and stretching his limbs. His shoulders pop and his muscles ache from disuse.
"Or is we each lowly deckhands? l'm sure all us bastards're eager to get to it, in any event.
I gotta say, though: I know my limits. I ain't captain material by any stretch, but I'd be a damned good first mate if'n there's not one already."
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"I be yer Cap'n, and we have a first mate, thank ye very much.", the sailor says with another swig of ale. "What we need are men who know what's ta be expected of 'em in a fight. Men who show no fear, and can look death straight in the bloody eye. This be a profitable venture, but not for the weak of heart. If ye get seasick easy, don't come aboard at all. There be raids, cannon fights, wind gales from hell 'erself!"
He pauses, eyeing Marek while saying,"What jobs be available? Well, tell me what ye can do, Master Vhol."
Forgot to give you a description of the Captain: 6 feet tall, 180 lbs, 40 years old, blue eyes, black hair, hawklike nose, a few missing teeth and a few golden ones, full beard hanging down to belly button level, black trench coat, black fingerless gloves, blue button up shirt, black pants with black boots, weathered face, 3 pointed pirate hat with red bandana underneath.
"I been sailin' and smugglin' since I was a wee lad, an' ain't nobody my equal up close an' personal nor twenty paces out neither with a blade. I'm able, ye'll soon see. Just wanted t'test th' waters an' see if'n there'd be room for... whuzzat? Upward mobility." He chews those last, unfamiliar words with great discomfort like a large piece of gristle.
"But aye, I'll do as me cap'n wishes, same as any sailor worth his salt. So lead on, sir. I'm yer man."
I don't know what these other two can do, but I can pilot a ship like none else on the seas. Let me at yer rudder and you won't be sorry. I can protect the wheelhouse like a mad dog as well.
"I haven't had much water beneath my feet yet capt'n, but I've weathered storms outside in trees and can hold on a long time. I'd be happy to climb the ropes for ye and be up high to spot any other ships."
Hearing the other two boast about their battle prowess, he is quick to jump in as well.
"My eyes are keen and so is my aim, I am no slouch with either bow or sword capt'n." he points at the sword on his back and the one at his waist.
"I can swim, do rigging, and read directions in a chart and in the coast, I guess anything except cooking, you don't wanna taste what I cook." Bu yeh were eager to set sail.
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"So we be havin' a fighter, a pilot, a bowman in the crow's nest, and a do-everything man. Very mixed. Potentially useful. I be likin' our chances, mates! Meet meself by the docks when yer prepared ta' set sail. I'll be introducin' ye to the first mate an' the crew."
He finishes his ale and gets up to leave, setting a few small diamonds worth 15 gp each on the table, 1 per party character. These serve as your first bit of pay, and a way to buy provisions at the marketplace before making your way to the dock.
Marek's hand is on his share a scant moment after the captain's hand leaves it, and he's already holding it up to his discerning eye before the sound of the captain's bootfalls on the floorboards quiets in the distance.
Kaan carefully picks up his prize. He makes sure it's plain he's just going for the one. He's sure that someone at the table would put a knife through his hand if there were a misunderstanding.
Hells, I'd do the same.
He heads off to the markets to grab some cured meats and dried fruits for the journey. Perhaps some rum if he can find some.
Not long after he's at the docks, prepared to sail.
Grint grabs one of the diamonds as well, recounting his father's words of wisdom for the open seas.
Make sure you get enough dried food with you, especially fruit. Sickness will do you no good when there is hard work to be done.
He heads into the same direction as Kaan, hoping to buy some dried fruit and salted pork or fish for the journey. Also a small flagon of rum to keep with him, he doesn't want it to be overly obvious.
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I'm going to assume Yannic Grant does the same with his diamond.
You all arrive promptly and the Captain welcomes you with arms out stretched and a crooked smile on his face. He shows you around.
The ship is named "The Peaceful Voyage" and has a wood carving of a turbulent storm on the front, irony hard at work. The deck holds a crow's nest 20 feet above the main deck, 4 cannons on wheels, and the steering wheel, as well as a door leading to the Captain's private office and sleeping quarters next to a similar one leading to his 1st mate's quarters.
The 1st mate is a voluptuous and thin woman with brown hair reaching down to the small of her back, piercing blue eyes, fair features, large chest, wide hips, and short sword. she wears skin tight leathers, only accentuating her beauty.
She introduces herself as Verona, the Captain's current girlfriend, as well as 1st mate.
The Captain the introduces you to the rest of the crew, a few very prominent men among them.
Backlash: Muscular and broad shouldered with a broadsword and naval axe hanging from his belt, a girl hanging from his bicep.
Dirt Cheap: The small and skinny cook, known for being a swindling swine among sea ports. He wears a rapier and simple dagger
Fish Bone: A gargantuan neandrathal of a man wielding a heavy club of large size. He has a huge underbite and small eyes.
Hook and Line: Bumbling idiot twins with rapiers, always on the poop deck making sure the ship's foundations and rigging are secure.
The gangplank creaks as Marek steps aboard in the procession, clutching his newly-purchased provisions.
He nods in turn respectfully to each crew member as he or she is introduced and gives simply his name, sparing pleasantries whenever possible, keeping to himself so as to maintain perspective to better assess his surroundings.
Grint walks up the plank resolutely, stomping harder than usual, just to hide his nervousness of going on his first sea voyage.
He greets the rest of the crew with a nod and due respect, waiting with familiarising himself with them until they know what he is capable of.
His eyes tend to linger a bit on Verona though, young as he is, he never saw a woman that beautiful before. He snaps out of it as he eventually stands besides Marek, waiting on the others to get aboard.
Kaan comes aboard carrying a modest kit. He bows to both the captain and the figurehead becore actually coming aboard (If the captain is not on deck, then he'll bow to the most "in charge" looking person).
Greetings. Where is my rack?
Once his gear has been stowed, he makes a point of meeting the crew and getting his duties defined clearly. After Backlash, he starts to wonder is this is a mummers farce.
He takes the time to inspect the pilot's station and the rudder, the sails and lines. He inspects the draft of the ship and trys to see how she'll cut through the water.
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Go ahead and add the cup of dice, Kaan.
Backlash walks up to the newcomers and does a quick once-over on Kaan before responding.
"Yer hammock be with the others below deck.", he answers,"Pick a place and hang it."
He offhandedly gives Kaan a handaxe and 2 pitons, the axe to hack a small niche in the supports on either side and run the pitons in easier, then use the flat sides to hammer them all the way in.
I thank you. Kaan says with a small bow. He takes the equipment and heads below decks to find a prime spot for his rack.
Once he's set up his kit, Kaan climbs the ladder to the deck and looks for the bosun. What do you need from me so that we might depart?
Marek bides his time hurling knives at a homemade bullseye taken from the heart of an old tree, each ring both a year of the tree's life and an-ever-increasingly-difficult marker of ranged, end-over-end, piercing precision.
Seeing the marksmanship of Marek with his knives, Grint is impressed.
"Would you mind me taking a few shots at it myself, my archery skills need some training now and then."
With Marek's permission he shoots a few arrows at the homemade bullseye, hoping to get as many arrows in the Bull as Marek does with his knives.
Marek nods approvingly and lets out a low whistle.
"Not bad, lad. If yer 'alf as good at puttin' the pointy ends in the fleshy bits as ye are at manglin' this old oak, our enemies 'ave got another thing comin'."
Kaan heads below to take a nap.
"Aye aye capt'n." Grint says as he heads below deck as well to claim a spot.
Shortly after that he emerges on deck again and looks up to the crow's nest.
So this is what I've been training for, let's see if I got what it takes.
He starts to climb the ropes at a reasonable pace until he is at the lookout point and gazes out towards the ocean.
Yannic remains silent during the captain's introduction, his mind on the rolling deck below him. "Aye no place like a deck in sea." Upon hearing bout the racks Yannic answers swiftly "Uhm gonna do the same, Capt'n." After stowing his things Yannic goes to talk with the crew a bit and try to hear things about the captain
Marek busies himself with ship's duties, hoping to fall back into the regular rhythm of day to day life at sea. He rigs what needs riggin', swabs what needs swabbin', and generally battens the battenable.
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Marek cleans the ship so well it sparkles. Everyone around him stares in astonishment at his janitorial prowess.
Grint successfully takes up position on the crows nest just as the ship's lines are hauled in, and the captain yells for full sails.
Yannic gathers that the captain is an honorable man, even if he be a pirate. He also is held in high regard by the crew, with no one even close ta' thinkin' about anything like mutiny. It just wouldn't be the same without him. He has a typical piratey background. That's really all there is to it.
Uhm popular Captain... Good fortune there. Well lets find that first mate... Yannic goes after the first mate upon finding her he asks; Ma'm is there any way I can be made of use?
As the ship leaves her berth, Kaan is up and about immediately. He returns to the deck and finds the pilot. He keeps a wary eye open as they make for the sea. He also keeps an eye out for anything he might do to make their journey a smoother one.
As the ship heads out for the high seas, Grint is up in the crows nest and enjoying the view. He is keeping a vigilant watch for anything that might be trouble.
He keeps his bow and arrows close just in case.
Marek pointedly eats his rations off the sparkling clean deck and bides his time for something to happen.
Yannic goes and helps Kaan with whatever he finds to do. And also keeps lookout.
