Linnet gentles her tone. "You're doing a great job," she says warmly. "I bet Mr. Plugg thinks so too. Where do the stairs go, anyway?"
Owlbear smiles broadly but doesn't look at Linnet yet, keeping his eyes on the stairs. "Master says Owlbear do a good job, sometimes. Other times he hits Owlbear. Master is good to Owlbear though, he only hits Owlbear a little, others hit a lot."
When Linnet asks about the stairs, Owlbear looks at her, eyes wide as he shakes his head. "Stairs lead to Masters sleeping place. With other leaders. Owlbear has to watch stairs or else..."
Bleepos now tries to pick the lock of the chain that holds Owlbear, while Linnet keeps distracting him. The goblin is using now tools for the job - although he'd prefer chicken bone, he reckons the longlegged created some useful tools for this kind of job.
Linnet sees Bleepos working diligently away. She continues to encourage Owlbear (he certainly seems to need it) and then asks, "How'd you end up on this ship anyway, big guy?"
She'd like to ask him about his chains outright, but the mischievous streak in her says it's best done after the chains are loose. The situation is certainly not what she expected.
Chandria thanks Grok warmly, now donning her armor and inspecting her alchemy kit to ensure all of its pieces are still intact. She looks back up at Grok and then says, "I'll have plenty more for you later," ensuring Grok she'll keep the Brandy flowing. She flashes Grok a smile and then waddles back to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on her delicious stew.
Bleepos feels the tumblers but just can't find the right angle to actually open the lock, it is just too damn complex and his hands are just not dexterous enough.
Owlbear glances at Linnet, before his eyes grow big and sad. "Master found Owlbear at home, when Owlbear was littler. He take Owlbear and make him fight and make him hurt and Owlbear doesn't like that..."
Owlbear seems like he is about to say more, when the Quartermaster walks by and drops a small pale of rum beside the man, glancing at Linnet and frowning. "On deck new meat. Time for bloody hour!" She grins, before making her way up on to deck, lugging a huge jug of liquid.
The Bloody Hour
As dusk begins to set, the crew is called up and hunted down, brought to the Main Deck. You find yourselves naturally gravitating towards each other and end up standing in a loose huddle, close to the starboard rail. Before you can do much more than say hello and take your places, some of you stinking of blood, some of filth from gutting fish, Captain Harrigan steps forward, raising his arms up over his head and calling for silence.
”We have some sport tonight boys, a bit of a treat for you and the new meat.” He grinned over at you to a round of dark chuckles. ”You all remember our dear friend Jakes don’t you?”
A rough chorus of ayes come from the crowd.
”Well old Jakes thought he could get the better of us lads, thought he could take what weren’t his. He tried to steal from all of us mates, tried to make himself fat on our shares!”
The crowd boo and hiss, tension beginning to rise.
”Old Jake was caught and has been roasting himself down in the Bilges since then, after he had a chat with Mister Plugg and Master Scrouge here,”
The round of cheers and ’Good enough for em!’ was louder even than the boos.
”And now, the time has come to show him just how we treat thieves on this here ship. Well,” he grinned, arching his one good eyebrow, ”thieves who steal from us that is. HAHA BRING EM UP BOYS!”
A disheveled man is dragged up on deck, chained at the wrists, and forced to his knees before the large Captain. He looks up at the man, tears in his eyes and a bitter set to his lips.
”Jakes Magpie, for yer crimes against me and this ship, you are sentenced to be Keelhauled till ye are dead, or ye f%~$in wish to be!”
The mans single screamed ’NO!' is drowned out by the loud roar of approval as the crew lunged forward and embraces the man in to their midst. Within minutes he reappears, bound tight in rope, long enough on both ends to allow it to be passed beneath the ship. He is dragged up on to the Fore Top Deck, Mister Plugg on one side with a group of four crew backing him up, and Master Scourge on the other with the same. The rope is passed under the prow before being secured once again. Without much more adieu, Jakes is tossed off the front of the ship.
Most of the Crew show signs of enjoying the ‘festivities’, but no one shows as much relish, at brutally punishing Jakes as Mister Plugg does. The pure joy on the mans face is psychotic.
Over the course of around the next minute and a half (12 Rounds), the men holding the rope slowly walk the length of the ship, before reaching the aft top deck and slowly, gruelingly drag the ropes back up on deck. The thing attached to the rope, as it can barely be called a person, is torn and battered, partially flayed and wholly disgusting. The corpse is cut free and its manacles are removed and he is tossed to the deck as the crew and officers gather a slight bit away.
You estimate that Jakes has taken around 24 points of damage, but died not of his wounds, but of drowning.
The Captain calls for order once again, as the remains are dumped overboard and the crew returns to the main deck.
”Well, he won’t be stealing anything else anytime soon, or ever again, Pharasma willing!” The crew laugh along, as two crew members, accompanied by the Ships Cook, drag a large heavy bottomed cauldron up on to deck, a cauldron wafting the delicious scent of a hearty fish stew.
”And supper is served, but before we can get to that, we have one more punishment…” Harrigan getures at Scourge, who walks in to the crowd, and towards the group who pulled you out on deck this morning. Without saying a word he grabs the tall Mwangi man that Sasha got in trouble by the scruff of his neck and drags him up towards the front of the crew. ”One of our boys ain’t up to scratch yet, so we are going to teach em a lesson. Master Plugg, the Cat, if you please!”
Maheem is thrown to his knees on the deck as Plugg pulls his cat o'ninetails from his belt and stalks towards the tall Mwangi man. His shirt is torn off of him, as Plugg takes his place behind him. Plugg draws back his arm, before lashing the cat across the mans back three times.
The man slumps to the deep bleeding heavily and panting.
Captain Harrigan claps slowly, ”Perfect, perfect. Drag em to the bilges and let em sleep it off! Now, eat then drink and enjoy yourselves, tomorrow we may have work to do!”
The Crew cheer loudly and make their was over towards the awaiting food, as Plugg, Scourge, Harrigan and the other Officers, retire to the Captains Cabin, followed by a one eyed woman and two others, all three carrying covered dinner platters.
As the crew move towards the rum and the food, a tall woman sporting a tricorne and a symbol of Besmara moves over to you and nods politely.
”You are the new crew members yes? Names Sandara. It is a pleasure to meet you mates. Come on, let’s get some food and our rum rations and take it to the Top Deck. We should speak. I may have something to interest you all!” She smiles brightly at each of you, before turning and heading towards the food.
Aqguazula walks over to examine the lifeless body of Jakes Magpie.
"Poor sod, they should've just thrown him to the sharks. Probably would of be quicker. Ovonovo would of been pleased."
Aqguazula curious of Sandara's sudden interest in them, he has dealt with too many shady characters when he rode with Okeno Slavers and Mediogalti pirates.
Linnet's heart beats fast as she watches the gruesome scene of the Bloody Hour, thinking of the purse she found in the hold. It had been there a long time. No one will miss it, surely!
But if fortune is shared out equally... does that mean we will all eventually profit?
Shivering, she decides not to push her luck just yet.
She had heard of keelhauling before at the knee of fellow crew members, though she had not understood the magnitude of the situation. Better to be cast asea indeed, as her towering crewmate said, than face the agonizing fate of Jakes Magpie! It had never occurred to her how sanitized her mother's ship must have become once a child - herself - was living on board. She is staring at the true depths of piracy right now, unforgiving and vicious.
"I'm going to do it," she says in a low, resolute voice to her fellow unfortunates. "I'm going to seek her out at supper. Whatever she has in store for us couldn't possibly be as bad as this. Who's with me?"
"Careful now little one, I've been on ships in "rough waters". The last thing you want to see is a full scale..."
Aqguazula looks around for unwanted ears.
"Mutiny."
"I don't trust her yet, this could be a plot to due us in. In anycase, I will greet you with her in a few or maybe ten minutes. I seem to be in a good place with Grok,Maybe I can win her over to my side."
With that the towering Aquatic elf walks off in search of the drunken sailor.
Seems like a good kid. Let's hope this ship doesn't turn her into fish food.
Bleepos notices the opportunity and - being too much goblin, too much pirate and too much curious - decides to go take a quick look at the quartermaster store.
Apparently more ninja than ever, after leaving Linnet and Owlbear the goblin moves in the shadows as the night itself.
Bleepos sneaks in to the store and finds himself with a number of containers to choose from; two wooden lockers, a wooden chest, a wooden trunk and a metal trunk. The chest and two trunks are locked.
The second locker contains a mess of equipment, some of which belong to the Goblin himself.
Aqgua-Bleepo-Chandria-Dacota-Linnet-Sasha-Rosie-Weapons-Alchemy-Box
Sandara seems to be on the level, you sense no malice in her. She is a new recruit to the ship, pressganged like yourselves and she simply wants to make friends with no ulterior motive that you could detect.
Aqguazula will meet up with the rest or rather he didn't leave their side.
Having a sudden change of heart, Aqguazula agrees to speak to Sandara albeit still cautiously.
The Bloody Hour, isit... Chandria observes the lifeless body as its torn up by the rough seas and whatever creatures inhabit it. And for stealing... A chill runs up her spine, the feathers on the back of her neck standing tall as she remembers she still has a bottle of stolen Brandy hiding under her haramaki. She bends over and palms at it to ensure it's secure before pulling her cloak tightly around herself.
Disgusted by the appearance of the dead body, Chandria quickly holds her nose and doesn't try to look any closer, ironic given that she currently reeks of rotting fish carcasses.
She hears the half-elf speak and nods in agreement. Looking down towards the deck, she sidles up next to Linnet and whispers, "YesIagree," she slows her self down, still speaking low, "Yes, I agree. That woman had a sort of sincerity about her... and anything that doesn't involve being turned into an unrecognizable pile of flesh is fine by me at this point."
Aqguazula Stumbles on the group from the port of the Wormwood.
"Call me a pragmatist, but why should we form an alliance? I don't even know your names. If you we're embarking on a potential suicide mission, the least we can do is know each other's names before we die." He says grimly.
Looking around to make sure none catch their attention
"We'd better go get the chum they're serving tonight, if we're in iddle they will confront us and someone would be sure to get a lashing."
Bleepos will go eat and drink with the rest of the crew and hear stories.
Sasha gathers the reactions from the crew as well as Mr. Plugg. Could there actually be one here crazier than me? For Besmara's sake lets hope not
Once the keelhauling is done, Sasha has a slight smile on her face as the body is brought back on board.
Sasha didn't really care about the cause of death nor his crimes, she hurried to the body to take a look, digging her fingers into the open wounds, fishing out some blood and perhaps some torn flesh and popping it into her mouth.
after a taste, she makes a disgusted face, "too salty, but not to bad either"
Sasha backs off as the punishments continue. taking notice of the man that was rude to her earlier being brought up, Sasha back out of the way but stays close enough to get a good view. she want to see the look on his face at the punishment.
Sasha has a somewhat sadistic joy in this beating.
Sasha is towaerd the back of the line to get food, already knowing what the meal is. She tries to get the most under-cooked fish that is available.
She listens to the others discuss things as she decides what to do about this Sandara person.
instinctively her hand moves to her neck checking for her locket.
"I'm Linnet Applesby, formerly of the ship the Maiden Voyage. I know we don't know each other yet, but we certainly don't have a reason to trust the crew. I imagine the thoughts of escape and revenge have crossed your minds as well. Maybe even fortune. Anyone at sea long enough learns that you can't manage alone. If we band together, we might just have a chance..."
Her stomach rumbles before she can say any more, and she remembers that she has yet to be fed on this ship.
"... but not until after eating. I've introduced myself now, though. What are all your names?"
Checking the other "new recruits" well actually the ones she was brought on board with an odd assortment, at least this Linnet character seems pretty normal, well not that I am anything close to normal.
"I'm Sasha, I'm a little crazy, but only when I listen to the voices in my head for too long." She adds to the conversation, a grin on her lips.
She leans close to Linnet and whispers to her, "I know magic."
Linnet's eyes light up. "Now that could come in handy," she whispers back.
The skittish feathered one looks interested in the opportunity to form companionship in a situation such as this, and pushes herself to speak up. "Chandria, a chemist of sorts, and responsible for the stew you will all be indulging in tonight," she says with a confident grin. "A pleasure to meet you all, although it's unfortunate it could not have been under better circumstances." She looks shifty-eyed as she keeps thinking of the stolen bottle of Brandy still under her shirt. "I'm here for the adventure - the ruins - wherever the seas may take me. I'm not sure I will get a chance like this again," Chandria remarks, thinking of the dull life she'd been living for years now.
Sasha takes a gander at Chadria, "I do hope you learn to fish."
Chandria puts on an embarrassed smile and responds to Sasha, "Thank you again for your help with the nets. I fear what Kroop would have done had I returned with little fish. You must have spent some time fishing in your past, or perhaps you're just skilled with that sort of thing."
Sasha brushes off any compliment, "nahhh, I know magic"
"Damn what blood sport, says as he watched them hoist the deadman up. He was abitmore unnerved at the tiefling woman taking a few bites out of him. Even his time in Chelish Navy he had never see such.
Against his better judgment, he decides to say hello to her and those whom had also been shanghai'd into this.
"Greetings, Hell of a first day."
Bleepos eats with voracity, curious with his companions' conversation. He smiles at Linnet but keep his wits to himself, thinking about the Owlbear and the ship. The goblin loved this life, that's what he was born and raised for.
And finally their tall compatriot meets up with the ragtag group, " And I am Aqguazula, son of a once great Aquatic Elf lord now his heir.
I can swim better than any of you." He puts his left arm towards them showing him his webbed hands and the fin in the middle of his forearm. "I also know magic."
"I don't know if I want revenge, I'm not too angry about being captured it's a potential "occupational hazard" considering my former crewmen and vessels I've served on. I'm pretty sure me and the Quartermaster Grok are pretty friendly at this point, I might be able to win her on our side. That's something you guys might want to do, pick someone out in your stations and gain their trust."
He will look around for a moment,"and don't mention the word mutiny, otherwise this ship will burst into chaos and we will be keelhauled or worse."
"Is everyone armed?" Anyways we should probably get our nightly meal, we might look suspicious just standing here in the open, let's make ourselves known to this Sandara character."
Walking a few paces towards the top deck before turning around."Now this is going to sound odd however, can I collect your piss? I have a spell that makes wine,beers of all sorts and mead. The nastier the water, the better the outcome. I was thinking of making a still or a reservoir, we could use it for bartering, cooking or just having fun."
His eyes will dart towards Chandria,"What says you Chandria? it could make your cooking taste even better, beer battered fish and chips maybe? Or maybe you can collect me nasty fish stew stock?"
Chandria looks disgusted with the sahaugin's unorthodox suggestion, but is quick to believe that he is the heir of an elf lord and respects him just a touch more for it. She looks over at him and says, "Umm, well.. I have heard of the usage of such reagents as urine in Golarion before, but I have not personally experimented with it." Somewhat torn between discovery and disgust, Chandria hesitantly agrees. "I suppose we could try it, but I won't be the first person to drink it! What about Sasha? She seems to already have a taste for raw flesh and blood."
Aqguazula exclaims,"Excellent! We shall all have a toast of it tonight, don't worry I will have a taste of the first batch as a show of good faith. I Promise that it will be potable and probably taste better than whatever "rum rations" we're going to get."
Pausing for a moment and suddenly remembering, "Grok liked it well enough and she's distrusting of magic if that says anything. Besides can't be any crazier than turning lead into gold." He winks.
"And I am a Thrune from Cheliax. You ain't no prince. The only time I'll be drinkin' me own piss is when the rum is all gone and there is no fresh water to drink."
Dacota crosses his arms and spits off into the sea.
Bleepos didn't really seem to care much.
Yarrr olde bunch of spineless shrimp heads, prince of no prince, I'd drink my piss any day even if it wasn't turned into rum!
He pulls some rat legs from his pockets, mixing with the rest of the food.
No place for fancy on the waves of Besmara. Pass me the salt, mate! Captain Bleepos is always hungry! - he yells friendly to Dacota.
Aqguazula looks coldly at Dacota and declare,"Yes and now you're in the Ocean, My domain! Where is your Queen now, where is her might?!
The Captain may be the ruler of this vessel, but in the water I am sovereign! Even the Sharks bend their will to me."
Aqguazula will slam his left fist into his hand.
Taking a moment to catch his breath and calm himself.
" I am Aqguazula son of Depthago, I would not claim to be a prince, but the noble blood flows through my veins.My father was akin to a Duke,Count or Baron in your lands."
"Do not insult me or my magic, I would gladly aid you with it if or when the whip meets your back. Urine or other foul liquids are merely a catalyst, they're not the end result"
Aqguazula will laugh,"Even the Goblin sees reason, I like you little Bleepos. Although Besmara means nothing to the might of Dagon,Ovonovo and Asmodeus."
"King of the ocean," Dacota chuckles, "petty claims. No mortal owns the water. It's killed too many whom tried. We are mearly low renters."
"I keep hearing this mention of magic..." Chandria says to the group. She takes a coffee bean, a piece of thread, and a fish's gill out of her alchemy kit and throws them into her rum. She swirls the glass around a few times. It begins to glow green and effervescent. "How's that for magic?" she says to Aqguazula and Sasha as she offers them a sip of the "enchanted rum."
"The Oceans or it's creators have spoken to me in my sleep, I am an emissary of their might. Such power came at a mighty cost on my psyche, but I've grown with it and lived it for a long time."
He will rub his thumb on his index and middle finger,
"You may swing a sword very well, and I commend you for that but there will be a time understand what I am and what I can achieve. Andoran navymen crossed me, but now they sleep in cold depths of the Obari Ocean. Now this isn't the right way to form friendships or alliances"
His braids will elongate and wrapped Chandria's glass.
"What's effects will this "Enchanted Rum" have?"
Aqguazula will raise the glass to the sky,"if this is a showing of good faith, then I will bite. In return I will show you what other magic I can perform."
Chandria smiles and nods at the aquatic elf. "That particular reaction is simply for show, with little effect save for adding a sort of 'bite' to the rum, if you will." Months and months studying inside that den, and all I have to show for it is some emerald-coloured rum? Ugh.. She doubts herself and craves a situation in which her chemistry would be more useful.
"I realize I need all the help I can get on this ship. Let this be a sign of the alliance I wish to form here. Now, let's see what you can do!" She challenges the sea elf.
Aqguazula will nod,"to long lasting alliances."
With a twirl of his fingers, clicking of his teeth and burning a piece of holy text from the palm of his hand.
His braids will reach out and tap Chandria on her forehead,"don't worry it's harmless." A magical force field with envelope you, you notice a small translucent symbols that look like this
"Now I suppose it's my turn isn't it?"
Linnet takes the cup from Aqguazula once he drinks and sips cautiously. "To alliances." A familiar burn follows, if more intense than usual. Best not to drink too much, or she won't have a clear head for tonight's meeting.
"Better than I expected for a drink that glows," she says to Chandria with a smile. "I'm feeling encouraged about the stew now."
Watching the tentacle-like movement of Aqguazula's braids with fascination, she tells him, "I'll participate in your little experiment, though I won't take the first sip! Just be aware that an extra supply of grog on a ship could lead to chaos."
She had been surprised to learn that her compatriots were uninterested in leaving the ship. Perhaps she needed to focus on the present, not any grand schemes of escape and revenge. Maybe if she prayed enough, she could be blessed with the power to send birds with messages, as some on her mothers' ship could, but that was hardly a plan.
She decides to take Aqguazula's advice and get in good with someone on board. Perhaps Owlbear could let her know who those with power were. Of course, he had not appeared to be much of a thinker.
Well, it could've been worse; she could have been stuck on land.
And finally their tall compatriot meets up with the ragtag group, " And I am Aqguazula, son of a once great Aquatic Elf lord now his heir. Bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
I can swim better than any of you." He puts his left arm towards them showing him his webbed hands and the fin in the middle of his forearm. "I also know magic."
Sasha just rolls her eyes, she is not buying anything this fish face says. "well that may be so, but I can climb better than you, and we are not in the water, we are on a ship, so I guess that just does not matter does it."
"I don't know if I want revenge, I'm not too angry about being captured it's a potential "occupational hazard" considering my former crewmen and vessels I've served on. I'm pretty sure me and the Quartermaster Grok are pretty friendly at this point, I might be able to win her on our side. That's something you guys might want to do, pick someone out in your stations and gain their trust."He will look around for a moment,"and don't mention the word mutiny, otherwise this ship will burst into chaos and we will be keelhauled or worse."
"All I know is I needed to get to sea. the reasons are my own business right now. but I will do what I must to survive." Sasha already has a bit of distrust in this person, she isn't too quick to take orders from him right now.
"Is everyone armed?" Anyways we should probably get our nightly meal, we might look suspicious just standing here in the open, let's make ourselves known to this Sandara character."Walking a few paces towards the top deck before turning around."Now this is going to sound odd however, can I collect your piss? I have a spell that makes wine,beers of all sorts and mead. The nastier the water, the better the outcome. I was thinking of making a still or a reservoir, we could use it for bartering, cooking or just having fun."
His eyes will dart towards Chandria,"What says you Chandria? it could make your cooking taste even better, beer battered fish and chips maybe? Or maybe you can collect me nasty fish stew stock?"
Sasha just cocks an eyebrow at the strange request. she says nothing (yea nor nay) This is something she will have to think about.
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20
Chandria looks disgusted with the sahaugin's unorthodox suggestion, but is quick to believe that he is the heir of an elf lord and respects him just a touch more for it. She looks over at him and says, "Umm, well.. I have heard of the usage of such reagents as urine in Golarion before, but I have not personally experimented with it." Somewhat torn between discovery and disgust, Chandria hesitantly agrees. "I suppose we could try it, but I won't be the first person to drink it! What about Sasha? She seems to already have a taste for raw flesh and blood."
"It's an acquired taste really. but if you only knew what flows through my veins you might puke."