Despite seeing it's mate eviscerated, the remaining Bunyip in it's blood frenzy charges forwards preparing to eat one of the delicious morsels on the boat!
Ileosa on 1 or 2, Ella 3, Godfrey 4
The Bunyip charges forwards and almost comes right into the boat with the villains as it latches on ferociously to Godfrey's torso!
Ella was reaching for a javelin, expecting to have to try and take down the beast from a distance, when it quiet nicely came to them. Quiet nicely for Ella who isn't being eaten by it at the moment. A more quippy person would make a comment to Godfrey about holding it steady for her, but Ella is not quippy. So instead she tears into the beast with all her might, flinging gore everywhere.
Godfrey grins in feral satisfaction as the charred and smoking body of first of the hideous creatures to attack them slipped beneath the waves. His gloating is cut short as the other beast clamps down on his side and shakes him like a rag doll. Gasping in pain, he manages to fight free of the teeth. Favoring his side, he gasps a few words of arcane power and proceeds to lay into the creature with his sword.
Things seem to go crazy. The Bunyip's roar strikes fear into the heart of two of the party members. Ileosa goes catatonic and freezes, while Triss goes full into panic mode and takes flight straight into the icy sea. Unfortunately for Triss, the shock from the icy water and the fear from the Bunyip's powerful roar causes her to body to go into shock and she begins to drown.
The others rally with Coloua diving down from her safety in the air to splash into the water after Triss. Meanwhile on the boat, the Bunyip charges forwards and bites deep into Godfrey's side. Ella's claws dig deep into the Bunyip's hide loosening it's grip on Godfrey. Godfrey rips himself free before bringing his sword up once again. His grip is weak as he makes his first slash but he manages to catch his sword before it flies away from his hand and with a quick footing adjustment, he slashes again and makes contact.
The Bunyip seems stunned for a moment but Ella and Godfrey can see a change in it's eyes and a familiar look of fear and panic sets in in the poor creature's soul. It immediately withdraws back into the water and attempts to speed away!
By the time Coloua reached Triss, her brain had caught up to her body and she realized that the icy water was at least manageable and actually quite exhilarating. With a huge grin and an almost manic gleam in her eye she hooks one arm under the larger woman's shoulder and begins to head back towards the others.
This one is going to owe me a favor....a big one
EDIT: 2nd check as per request:
Godfrey is grimly silent as he lets his blade drop to the deck. He gathers his sling from its pouch at his waist and with his face set in determination begins to whirl the weapon as he factors in the wind and the rocking of the waves. Judging the moment right, he releases on of the cords and with an ominous whir sends a heavy lead bullet chasing the fleeing abomination of shark and seal.
Coloua swims down and grabs a hold of Triss by the waist and begins swimming back up to the surface. Godfrey drops his black blade to the deck and summoning the courage of a young man facing a giant in a stand off, he pulls his sling out and loads it. He takes careful aim and once he has the momentum he lets loose the rock.
The rock sails twenty, forty, sixty feet and finally catches the Bunyip. The Bunyip never saw it coming as suddenly a rock cracks it right in the temple. It's eyes roll up into the back of it's head as it's temple begins to bleed and it rolls over belly up in the water.
There is silence on the boat for a few moments when all of a sudden there is splashing behind them. Ella and Godfrey whirl around expecting perhaps another Bunyip only to find Coloua carrying an unconscious Triss as she flounders a bit trying to get her into the boat. Ella and Godfrey quickly reach out and begin hauling the two in.
It's at this point that Ileosa snaps out of it and recognizes the situation. She begins administering CPR while Coloua starts rummaging through her vials before selecting one and dripping a small drop of devil's blood onto Triss's forehead.
She traces Asmodeus' unholy symbol on Triss's head and it glows with arcane power. The party waits in anticipation as the seconds go by before Triss's eyes flutter open and she spits up a bit more of the sea water.
She manages to let out a thanks before passing out from exhausting and/or shock.
With the party in tact, the seals still miraculously still in the boat, and with the addition of one very heavy bunyip, it is slow rowing back to the Frosthamar but they make it uninterrupted further.
Their boat is hauled back up to the ship. The sailors at first struggle before calling over two more that came back with the captain and with their combined strength they managed to haul the heavy laden jolly into position. The sailors look in shock at the scene in front of them.
The Captain makes his way over and begins pushing his sailors out of the way to greet them.
After ensuring that Triss would at least make it back to the ship to get rest, Coloua approached the seals on the jolly. Reaching out a hand she stroked one of them and realized that the short brown fur was quite soft. Tired from the excitement of a nice fly and a frigid polar dip, she crawled into the pile of bodies and rested while they returned to the ship. The combination of the soft fur, the cold environment, the slight warmth remaining in the insulated bodies, and the acrid tang from the scent of blood was incredibly relaxing.
When they reached the ship, she languidly watched the Captain approaching with slitted eyes, waiting to see what idiocy was about to spout from his mouth.
Ileosa stepped out of the boat ensuring her still look good by straitening up her clothes. Then she looked to the Captain and grinned. "Your idea was a wonderful one Captain, our hunt was very fruitful." Ileosa said as she motioned for him to see their boat.
Ella was about to drag the captain up by his neck, and ask quite NOT SO CALMLY if he was aware the blood of seals might bring bunyips to come calling.
If the captain is a perceptive man he might see the boiling doom from Ella's eyes.
But Ileosa's words halt the giant woman, makes her pause. The notion is clear, show no worry, claim no bother, makes them all that much stronger.
While Ella understands, she still wishes to tear this man apart for needlessly endangering her knot. After several seconds, she forces herself to relax.
And wait...
The Captain takes the invitation to inspect their jolly. He manages to keep his emotions off his face unlike his men. He grunts "Aye, it looks like you got the better hunting spot. You should be thanking me for setting you up with the easier hunting ground." he said before he spun around and started to storm off.
"Oh I wouldn't say easy." Ileosa stated as she pointed to the Bunyip's body. "Two of those smelled the seal blood, came looking for a meal. Made it a bit more difficult."
"We could take you there, maybe see if fortune holds?" She asked.
Godfrey springs over the railing of the Frosthamar with a smile fixed on his face. The sailor's open shock at the bounty on his hunting boat only widened the noblemen's grin. Simmering below this otherwise sunny disposition, Godfrey cheerily nods his greeting to the captain as he arrives. "Oh the easier ground? Well that'd explain the success. Aye, and probably these fine creatures too. Clubbing a seal over its head is well and good but to get your blood up you need something more hefty."
Godfrey throws back his cloak, as he casually rests his hand on his belt. That it reveals his gore-spattered armor is merely a coincidence. "As we killed a pair of the big ugly ones, I'd be surprised if any more came calling for a while. A shame, as they were really rather excellent sport." Godfrey's toothy grin grows and he nods to onlooking crew. "If we can carve up the big one -a bunyip as they're called-, we might be able to find a buyer for its pelt or perhaps its head. Can't deny that such a fearsome thing would look good hanging over a fireplace."
The Captain stops in his tracks as Godfrey begins speaking. He turns about and looks at him unimpressed as he speaks and peacocks a little. He then sneers slightly and raises his his nose at the nobleman "Aye, it's good to get the blood flowing. It's good you did not let all yours flow into the sea. I'd rather not get docked hard earned money." he says in response.
He looks at the bunyip, seeing the electricity scarring and the plentiful tears from Ella's claws. "The pelt is trash, I'd wager at least half the meat is nasty too from it's organs frying from the inside. You're welcome to keep the head if that is your business, collecting trophies and such. Just wash the deck once your done bleeding the nasty bastard." he said letting his animosity fill his words.
With that he turns about and this time begins yelling at his men to unload the boats and seperate the 'hauls' before inspecting them. He turns back to the group "I'd wager one of you wants to stay and make sure no one destroys your prizes. Just stay out of the way and let them do their work." he said as the deck starts to become a whirlwind of activity.
Coloua pokes her head out of the pile of seals, still on the hunting boat. "I'd be more than content to stay and guard my new friends here. I quite enjoy their company. Speaking of which, I wouldn't mind keeping that bunyip's head either if no-one else wants it. I can help take care of that while guarding the pelts."
Ella grabs the hunk of blubbery bleeding flesh and easily flings the bunyip body on the deck. "It is not our job to clean Anything, Captain." Ella lets her cold fury burn in the last word. Dark eyes(still disguised) looks around to the onlooking sailors, a steel sharp gauntlet clad finger points to the body leaking on deck.
"There that will stay until my friend here is done with it." her claws click to make sure everyone understands what will happen if it doesn't.
Then to Coloua, softer, she'll add "It is yours, let me know if you have any problems."
Then she'll head down below, unless someone pushes her.
As the others went about their business, Coloua stayed on deck with the sailors and the day's haul.
Keeping an eye on them to ensure that the five seal pelts the group had earned were neither damaged nor stolen while they were being "processed" by the crew, she spent her time carefully removing the bunyip's skull. Although it was a struggle, she laboriously shoved the body overboard not wanting to rely on the crew for any help.
Once that was done, she used her sickle to remove as much of the fleshy tissue as she could from the skull and washed itin seawater. Grinning as she thought of Ella's earlier comment, she left any remaining blood and gore to be taken care of by the crew and left.
Screw them if they complain. At least I took care of the body.
Before retiring for the night, she collected up the seal skins and snuck them into one of the crates of weapons. Not trusting the captain, she invisibly put her arcane mark on each of them, and on the crate itself, so if there were any shenanigans she would be able to identify them later as property of the group.
She took the bunyip skull while she slept, and she instructed her centipede to work it over and eat off any small pieces of flesh that she had missed earlier.
"Yes, I think one of us will stay with our catch." Ileosa said with a small grin. "And do not worry, we shall remain out of your men's way." She promised.
Though her smile grew when she saw Ella and Coloua interact. "Loyalty, when earned, is a... Hell of a thing Captain." Ileosa told him as she crossed her arms and moved to Ella's side. "Calm Ella dear, the Captain nor his men will bother Coloua or her work." She said before Ileosa met eyes with the Captain. "Will they, Captain?"
Godfrey's smug smile doesn't falter, but his eyes flash as he listens to the Captain's words. That smug, condescending mongrel... His grin widens as Ella makes their position eminently clear, though he still has to restrain himself from drawing his sword and running the captain through. "I'm sure your men wouldn't be so foolhardy as to destroy your passenger's goods? I doubt that would endear you to them."
Godfrey lingers above the deck a short time as Coloua begins her work. He begins what would normally be the arduous process of cleaning the gore and muck from his armor. For someone of his skill, however, it was no more then the matter of a moment's chanting and then a focusing of his will. The blood and bits of bunyip that found its way into the nooks and crannies of his armor fall away to form a dark red pool at his feet. Godfrey makes no move to ensure his mess makes it over the side, despite the triviality of the task with his magic. When there is no one to overhear, Godfrey asks his companion quietly, "What on earth do you want with the bones of that creature? I was not, in truth, interested in it as a trophy. Fierce it may be, but it would hardly make for a pleasant decoration unless one's idea of aesthetic was formed in barbarian tribes of the north. Yet you clearly have some purpose in mind..." Godfrey trails off meaningfully as he watches the witch patiently.
Coloua is happily cleaning off her new prize when Godfrey approaches her. Her instinctual response is to ignore him but then she remembers that she is part of a new group now. Hesitantly she responds, as she tries to figure out the correct words to describe what is going on in her head.
"I'm not completely sure myself why I'm doing this right now, but there is a reason. Lately when I do my morning meditation I've been getting glimpses of things. Not things that I'm capable of doing presently, but that something is pushing me towards, something that I will be able to do eventually if I continue to work on it." She studies Godfrey carefully, assessing how serious he is about wanting to understand her style of 'magic.' "These moments of ... I guess you could call them 'inspiration' ... don't just hit me during my morning ritual but occasionally hit me throughout the day. When the Captain mentioned keeping the head, I had a quick flash of this thing's skull floating through the air next to me, like some kind of companion or guard..." She playfully grins up at him and shakes her head as if she was a little embarrassed "and I want to hold on to it so that I can see how true these flashes are. Perhaps someday in the future I can make that image become reality."
The Captain was staring at the little one of the party when he heard the strain of Ella's muscles rippling and he looked up and over Coloua. Then came the crash. A smirk appeared on his face but it was quickly washed away with anger at the audacity the party offered to his beloved ship.
The muscles around his face twitched and his lip tucked inwards before blood began to drip down the sides from anger and holding his tongue. It was Godfrey's words that tore the man's mad eyes from Ella and sorely onto him. He practically growled out his response "They'd not do it purposefully, but accidents happen even in the most trained of hands." he said angrily.
With that he turned about, no waiting for any further discussion. One of the sailors came up to him to report on something but it was poor timing on his part.
The Captain's muscles rippled and his entire neck bulged an angry red. Then, there was a resounding heavy smack as the Captain's fist cracked into the sailor's stomach. With an instant wretching of the man's lunch upon the deck, shortly after the man was unconscious on the ground drooling out bile. He turned to the next man and stormed up to him "YOU, CLEAN THIS DECK TILL IT SHINES OR YOU'LL FIND WORST AT BLOODY HOUR!" he said angrily before storming off to his own chambers.
There is much bustling about as the sailors find their work and the injured is taken to his hammock to rest and be tended to. The sailors that stayed above ignored the party for the most part as they took the seals and began forming a line of work, each one doing their part to skin the pelts off the seals and butcher them proper. Once the others were done with their toying, one unlucky soul began scrubbing aggressively over the bloody areas of the ship while another hauled up fresh sea water by the bucket over and over till the planks didn't have a speck of blood or salt left upon them.
The rest of the day went uneventfully, apart from the anger spilling out of the captains voice upon his every appearance.
Ileosa placed a hand over her lips to cover her smile and stopped her giggle.
Though when the Captain left the man he had punched and left on the deck, Ileosa stepped up and ensured he wasn't face down in his own vomit. Taking out a rag she cleaned his face. "Triss dear, do you think you could go and tend to him?" Ileosa requested as she waved the drow over.
There wasn't much she could do to help the others so she remained out of their way as best as possible.
Coloua might not be the strongest in the group, but noone could ever accuse her of not being the brightest, so she keyed in on what Ileosa was up to immediately. She assumed that since Ileosa and Godfrey usually took the lead in conversation, the crew probably assumed that she, Ella, and Triss were assistants or followers of some kind. Between cleaning out her new skull and heading down to hide the pelts and get rest, she helped out the crew on cleaning the deck a bit, while mumbling to herself, just loud enough for the others to overhear.
"Not the nicest man in the world. I'm glad I'm with people who actually respect me, appreciate me, and help me out instead of working for that jackass..."
Triss will tend to the man over the course of the day once she regains her own strength from her bath in the icy waters. The sailors don't seem to show any signs that they have begun to question their loyalty to the captain. Currently, you hear murmurs from the crew about their treatment since you've arrived on the boat. The collective gossip seems to believe that the party is the source of the captain's ire and thus their anguish. But who knows how things will progress over time.
The night beyond goes uneventfully, the meals become more lavish and almost endless in nature due to the bounty of the seal meat. Upon the next morning, the Captain's mood seems to have not eased. While waiting for the party to arrive, he already changed up his hunting party and turned his boat towards a different section of the waters.
He growls out his displeasure at your "tardiness" and soon everyone is in their boats and heading out to separate sections of the waters. Today's fishing expedition is uneventful beyond the bounty of seals available to bludgeon.
It seems however, that the seals may have conversed on the nature of the recent events as they are much more Wily today. After several hours of hunting before the seals finally disperse completely for the day, the party manages to haul in three fat seals.
Once again, Triss takes to securing the seals before the group heads back. Thankfully, this time around no hungry predators attempt to take on the party. Beyond the exhilarating exercise of hunting seals, today was uneventful.
When the group is finally hauled up to the deck, it seems the Captain is finally in a better mood and seeing your own haul for the day seems to give him some small satisfaction as he managed to haul in four seals to the party's three.
With grim fascination, tinged with a rising nausea, Godfrey watches as Coloua scrapes the last of the flesh from the Binyip's eye socket as he listens to her. Swallowing his gorge, he replies, "How fascinating. Your... flashes of inspiration... as you call them. The hinting of greater power are altogether different from any magics I've heard of. It strikes me that some external source would be the most probable, but your magics are very unlike those of a priest. Or, at least, very different from any that I've heard of."
Godfrey taps his chin as he tries to ignore the sickening plop of brain matter being scooped onto the deck. "What you describe with the skull -fragmentary as your momentary insight may be- strikes me as necromantic. The binding of energy into the dead to make something neither living nor dead. Have you considered that your," Godfrey gestures to the feasting centipede as it emerges from some disgusting hiding place, "might be a source of these visions? I have heard of a wizard's familiar, of course. Where one may sense some fraction of an animal's mind and vice versa. If I am covering ground in which you have already speculated, by all means skip straight to your conclusions. Your magics are different from mine, but I think there's a great deal of merit in your methods."
He watches a moment, waiting for a response.
Godfrey watches the captain's temper tantrum with detachment. Tut tut, if a man cannot keep control of himself how can he ever hope to be master of others? Physical punishment will take you only so far.
Godfrey watches the captain sourly, vaguely irritated to have been out done by a man who's odious presence was growing more aggravating by the day. Your time will come, fool man. Your temerity will be earn it's just reward.
Coloua reaches down and strokes her centipede softly from head to tail as they talk and it arches its back into her hand much like a kitten before heading back into the bunyip skull. "You are closer than you may expect in your thinking. I refer to her as my 'friend' instead of my 'familiar' as I am no wizard, but it does serve the same purpose. We can sense each others' feelings and we get closer every day. I assume that one of these days we will figure out how to speak with each other in more than just impressions." Coloua looks apologetic as she notices the mess that she is making and pauses a second to begin cleaning up the mess while she talks. [b]"Not only do I spend some time with her every morning, but on a day where I cannot do this I've noticed that some of my spells don't work. In that way she reminds me of that book that you carry around. I feel like she is a connection or conduit between me and some other entity, a patron ... or teacher ... or something like that, and through her I get not just power but I also have some intuitive idea of what she will show me when I get stronger. That's what those flashes of inspiration are that I mentioned." She pauses again and looks up at the magus with a slightly concerned look. "The one thing that worries me is that it is such a one sided relationship. I get to take advantage of powers that are always increasing in strength and provided by some outside source, much like a priest, but without any strings. I've never been asked or urged to do something in return. I wonder sometimes what will be asked of me if that day ever does come."
Coloua is up and ready to go early in the morning, waiting on deck for the others so that they can continue their hunt.
Much like the day before though without the violence and intimidation tactics between the two parties, the captain once again offers for someone from the party to watch over his men doing their work.
The skinning is done in relative ease, nothing wasted where it can be helped. The meals are once again hearty and the whole ship is beginning to stink of curing meats and burning oil. Despite the bloodshed involved with butchering and peeling of the seals, the men make sure to keep the ship immaculate. For a bunch of nasty, stinking, sweaty sailors, the Captain is true to his word on loving his ship.
The night passes uneventfully and once again the party is drawn to the deck in the morning. The Captain is there to greet you from the side of his Jolly but despite his better mood the day before, his mood seems sour this day. He grunts and jerks his head towards the party's Jolly. "Today is the last day, we will have the water filled by the time we're done and the seals will have all scattered to the point there isn't much of a hunt left." he said annoyed.
He spit over the deck and climbed into his boat without a further word. The men began lowering his ship and soon enough, the second his hit the water, they moved over to yours to do the same once the party was ready.
Off the two Jollies set in opposing directions once more. The day seems favorable for the Villains as it does take long before Triss is actually waving her hands and calling off the hunt. With six heavy seals in the boat, there is little room for the members of the party to stand besides on top of the seals themselves. Carefully the loot is tied down and the Villains head back early.
Much like the first day with the bunyip added to the mix, the men struggle a bit to heavy you lot up but without their backup, they are forced to make do and eventually manage. Once locked into position, the two sailors get to work stacking your seals to the side and waiting on the captain's haul before the lot of them skin the seals.
"We are done." Ella says, the annoyance mingled with relief. Three days on a small unstable boat, hunting stupid animals, not for studying, not for survival, just for profit.
She is glad it is over.
After stretching the cramps out of her limbs, leans against the deck and waits for the captain.
"Indeed, we are. And a fair bit richer for it." Godfrey, though irritated by the delay and tired by the dullness of the last two day's hunt, is in a good mood as he surveys their masterful haul. Sure in the superiority of he and his companion's efforts, he waits on deck for the return of the ever infuriating captain.
"Very true." Ileosa said as she did a swift mental talley. "With the four on the first day, then three, and finally six today, that is thirteen in all. Might even keep a few and make a nice seal coat." She told then with a small chuckle.
"We could of course just sell them all." Ileosa shrugged as she too remained on deck waiting for the Captian's return. "Tiring few days no? Really after the first day the rest had been... calm... unnerving so." She said softly. "Something is going to happen..."
"Fourteen, I believe. It was five the first day." With his eyes fixed on watching the crew and their mutterings, Godfrey's offhand correction bespeaks his distraction. "Something indeed. I dislike the atmosphere aboard the ship. It wouldn't come as a surprise that something might happen. It hardly bears saying, but be on your guard. We may have outworn our welcome."
"Ah, yes." Ileosa said with a snap of her fingers. "That is right. I forgot most of the day honestly. It was quite the embarrassment for me no?" She added making a small jab at herself. "Tell me, what do you all think is keeping our Captian?"
"If he was eaten, would they still carry us to the destination?" Ella wonders aloud.
Coloua pokes her head out of her new pile of seal friends. "If you are really concerned that the Captain might double cross us before we can ... finish ... our mission I could try hiding closer to his cabin and maybe use my friend to keep an eye on him and see if there is anything to worry about."
The Captain's jolly appears shortly and you can tell there is a bit of a foul mood on the boat. The men quickly haul him up when the jolly scraps gently against the starboard side. The Captain's displeasure is heard even as he is hauled up though the words aren't quiet intelligible.
Once upon deck, you can see why as he drags one damaged seal onto the deck as the men bring another pristine kill with them. He spits off the deck "Damned creatures, I thought you said you killed the Bunyips!" he said growling and complaining at your party. Though, he doesn't allow a chance to rebuff him or engage him at all. He storms off cussing and cursing everything and everyone along the way till a loud slam of the cabin door is heard.
The men go about their work and once again, the boat is laden with seal meat. The sailors are kind enough to throw the damaged seal pelt in your pile. Around dusk, the Captain comes out long enough to yell at his men to clean the deck and he grabs the man who he dropped the other day with a heavy hit and gives him a stern quiet order it seems before disappearing back into his cabin.
It is evident quickly enough as the man comes over and tells the others to weigh anchor and prepare the ship to sail. Once he has issued the orders (minus one unfortunate sailor stuck scrubbing the deck), the sailor moves up to the wheel and takes the helm. Soon enough the ship begins to sail once more.
Coloua giggles a bit at the extra pelt and the Captain's ire. Probably can't sell this one. I wonder if we can do something fun with it
After the processing is done, she goes about her now habitual mark and hide routine, and heads to her corner to relax for the evening. She does take the time to commune with her centipede for a few minutes.
Ella waits til the captain gets there to see if there will be trouble, standing against the railing with her arms crossed until he gets there, throws his fit, and then leaves. She'll raise an eyebrow to the others to see if she is needed on deck.
If not she'll go below, find as comfortable a spot to sit, read, and have Az curl up in her lap. "You are getting plump." she points out to her cat. "Too many rats, trapped, with no where to run." he just bites her finger, he's form of affection, and purrs.
The ship sets off after it makes it's preparations. The two sailors who had stayed on the ship during the hunts were well rested and on duty for spotting and piloting the ship through the the night. Thankfully nothing happened to cause more men or even the party of Villains to be awoken.
Upon dawn, the Captain comes to the deck. He is hung over and possibly still drunk even but the two men are sent to bed as he starts barking orders at the other sailors when they get to the deck. The ship continues on it's merry way till the sun is high in the sky. It's at that point that one of the men calls the alarm of another ship on the horizon. The party is brought up to ready for anything that might transpire.
It takes an hour before the ships are in close enough proximity for them to be identified, after a description is given to the Captain he shakes his head and seems non plussed afterwards. He calls out to Ileosa and Godfrey to come up to the wheel. He grunts "It's just a bunch of tribals. Likely a Yutakian hunting party. At best they'll want to trade, so if you got something you want I'll pull alongside. But, if you're planning trouble, I expect some compensation for putting my ship in danger. I don't give a g#% d&#ned if you call em over and kill the whole lot of them, but if my ship gets wrecked in the process..." he says letting the threat trail off.
Curious as to why the Captain would be calling her companions up to the wheel, Coloua wanders over to the railing within earshot of their conversation and watches the approaching vessel. Just to be safe she doublechecks her iron circlet Halfling disguise and makes sure her friend is happily napping inside her instead of wandering around.
"A bunch of tribals are a danger to you?" Ella asks, curious more than dripping disdain. She has followed the others up to the deck, absently stroking Az who is perched on her shoulder. The large woman squints to see if she can tell much about them.
"I have nothing I wish to trade for." Ileosa stated simple. "I doubt they would have anything we would want but should they wish to trade with us and have something nice, then I would not stop you from allowing it." Ileosa explained with a wave of her hand. "If not, let them pass. A meaningless fight is too much trouble."
Captain Kargeld lip twitches slightly in anger, but he puts it aside "These tribals...they're ruthless when angered. They likely got ivory on them, not gold but it spends the same. Most of them go no where without their witch doctor, their shaman. Magic can be a nasty mess for a ship and quick. If they are headed south like this, they'll have a nice haul and they will be looking for weapons. Metal ones if they can find em, anything to give them an edge in hunting and killing. That's about all I've found out about them in the ports. I ain't fond of talking to strangers once out at sea, rarely is it pleasant." he said as if he'd had an experience or two he'd rather not talk about.
He nodded to Ileosa but waited to make sure no one else spoke up after what he said.
Godfrey eyes the distant ship pensively as he listens to the captain's explanation. "A risk if they would try and take the shipment below decks. On the other hand if we can get rid of the weaponry that we took from the blasted Taligardian's, that may be worthwhile. We profit from an otherwise useless cache of weapons. We can dump them over the side, but that helps us not at all. I think there may be merit in seeing what they have." He eyes the captain, "If you leave the talking to us, I'm doubtful that any harm would come to your ship. As for compensation, you'll be doing little other then risking your ship. Small risk as it is, that cannot be worth more then a 15 per cent cut."
Captain Kargeld looked at Godfrey for a moment, his defenses softening before the offer seems to stir something in him. "SMALL RISK! SMALL RISK, THIS IS MY LIVELIHOOD. Do you have any idea how much a ship costs? Everything on your entire group couldn't make up for the cost of rebuilding this ship if it goes down. I'll agree that I don't deserve much from your sales, but I ain't pulling this ship alongside theirs unless you're prepared to pay for any damages that may occur from your sharp tongues saying the wrong damned thing to a bunch of savages. I'll take five gold for every hundred gold worth of ivory you get or what it costs to fix my ship from any misfortunes plus a hundred gold and you'll thank me for my considering risking my ship." he said angrily.
Godfrey watches as his argument dissolves in front his eyes. Huffing a resigned and frustrated breath, he nods and answers, "So be it. We'll keep our tongues under control and no damage will be done. If it does, we'll be sure your ship is returned to good as it is now. A bit of profit and no lasting risk to your beloved ship."
Godfrey turns away to watch the distant longboats and rests his hand on his sword's hilt. And if it is damaged we'll recoup our losses easily enough when you are dead and gone, you cretinous vermin.
At the suggestion they 'thank him', Ella barks out a loud laugh. The large half-orc says nothing else, just crosses her arms and smiles a tusk filled grin at the arrogant ass of a captain.
The Captain stares at Godfrey and Ella for a moment before he feels that their word is plenty enough given they are servants of Asmodeus. He spits over the railing some of the tobacco in his mouth and makes way towards the Yutak tribals ship. One of the sailors begin signaling the wish to parley and soon enough both ship come up upon each other slowly.
Before they stop, there is much wooping and hollering as a striking young man makes his way up onto the deck and the men around him bow their heads as he strides forth with a spectacular eight foot long narwal tusk he is using as a walking stick. Soon after him, a man somewhat past his prime makes his way forwards, his face painted in intricate stylization and various gourds and leather pouches adorn his body.
The Captain bows his head at the men but otherwise stays up on his post. When a plank is extended, the young man strides onto the deck of the Frosthamar with confidence. He cracks the end of the tusk upon the deck and begins speaking. The language is lost to all, foreign for few Yutak make their way down to Talirean lands without war on their mind and prisoners are rarely taken from either side when they clash.
Still, the older man makes his way over more respectfully and stands beside his leader. He nods to the group and waits for those that wish to speak come forth. "The Great Chieftain White Tusk wishes trade, this season has been bountiful for us but we wish for steel, food, and finery. We bring with us much ivory to trade." he says before he motions to the tribals and quickly a large bundle is brought to the deck and cut free. Fifteen walrus tusks go clattering across the deck in varying sizes.
They stand there before you staring and awaiting an answer.
Triss makes herself know for perhaps the first time in some time. The acrid smell of poisons wafting off the leathers of her attire and cloak. She looks around confused at first as to why they stopped during daylight but spies the tusks and her eyes go a bit wide. She makes her way up to the group before they meet with the Chieftain and his interpreter.
She whistles quietly "Look at that beaut, rare to see one so long. I'd wager you'd be able to get a pretty stack of platinum for it. It's gotta be worth around two thousand gold I'd wager." she says impressed. Then her eyes glow a bit and you can tell she's looking for magics. She scratches her neck "Now ain't that interesting. I'd wager you could fold magic into that tusk nice and easy...a beautiful specimen indeed." she says before looking over the two men's shoulders and whistling aloud.
She walks up to them and bows politely "A pleasure gents, they call me Triss. I'm a bit of the merchant lady for these fine folks. I gots an eye for good yah see. Hah, good joke yah? Anyways, mayhap I just dance my pretty little legs over there and get a peek at what we're trading for?" she says batting lashes at them.
The 'shaman' pauses at her odd way of speaking before translating for his chief. The chief smiles widely and laughs. He motions for the woman to go forth onto their boat. It doesn't take her long before she's back and moves back up to Godfrey and Ileosa "There's about another twelve hundred worth of tusks over there. This is a mighty fine haul here...." she says smiling a bit coyly.
Staying in her handmaiden role, Coloua moves over to the group, eyes shining as she stares at the ivory. Looking up at Ileosa she timidly asks "Mistress, do we have the means to get some of those pretty pieces?" Placing herself in such a way that her back is to the tribals she fidgets shyly but has a ruthless smile for Ileosa and Godfrey and a question in her eyes.
Ella stands near their negotiator, after drinking down her potion of comprehend languages.