The good news is that only one of the regular crew members notices you trying to avoid your rum ration. Syl points out that, as always, Scourge has his eye on you and you would be better served drinking it down rather than calling his attention over.
Rhemus notices that the run ration is different now and spiked with a mild sedative. After a sip he will stop drinking and whispers to Sandman, "The rum ration is spiked. If you and the Crew want to avoid the drink come and toast with me."
He will also share this information with the rest of the crew as he circles around the deck making small talk along the way.
Once the Crew gathers around him, he will lift his cup and have all the glasses touch saying, "May Besmara smile on this Crew and gift us with clear skies and plentiful PLUNDER!"
He then uses his Spell-Like Ability: Purify Food and Drink on the rum ration to eliminate the drug.
. The average crew member doesn't care, they look forward to the intoxication as in some cases it's about the only benefit of being on the ship.
Thank you. I am not interested in intoxicants.
Sandman toasts Rhemus and drinks down his now-purified and mostly tasteless rum-water.
Sandman finds himself standing next to the rigger Maheen.
"So how'd you end up on this crate?"
They spoke amiably until the night bell rang and the crew started to turn in.
He walked down into the ship's berth and found his bunk, having a short conversation with Giffer before she fell asleep.
"This ship seems poisonous. How did you end up here? Were you press ganged like us?"
After the crew was asleep, Sandman wandered out the the main deck and put his mask on, setting it loose to continue shipboard repairs and commune with the stars.
In the morning, when Sandman woke and recovered control of his body, he found that the mask had spent the evening carving tendril-like swirls and eldritch runes into the club he'd made the day before.
Maheen is a male warrior that fits the stereotypical pirate image. Eye patch on one eye, bandana covering his hair, cutlass handing on his side and an evil scowl to match his face. Scruffy beard that he doesn't bother to shave, except with his cutlass, he doesn't respond to questions beyond more than one word answers.
Giffer is a much friendlier gnome pirate and pleased to make your acquaintance. Giffer warns to pick your sides carefully. Everyone knows the Captain's up to no good, but only the officers have any idea what's in store beyond that. Giffer will also tell you that Barefoot Samms is a good lad too. They were both pressed ganged into service on this vessel a few years ago, and have seen there fair share of brutality.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
. You got it pretty much on the nail head, but also while you guys are making friends, the a*++%!#s with the cannons and ship still command a healthy amount of fear and unease.
That morning...
Aerel responds to the blue skinned woman, "My people are of the sea and it is common to be able to speak to those from under it's waters. As for the other languages, one is the human tongue of the north while the other is what passes for the human tongue of the south. My people find it offensive for others to speak our language and so we train to be able to speak to others in their own languages. I hail from far to the north near the water's end where it meets the edge of the earth on an island with a towering spire. We are the inheritors of the empire of Man and guardians of it's ruins."
At the end of the work day, he takes up his ration, but hesitates at the halfling's cautionary words. He joins the others and raises his cup in toast, only drinking when the ration is cleansed.
Fatigued, Aerel spends some little time working on weaving a net before retiring for the night.
She drinks her rum then tries once again to get to know the crew.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Could it be he means to say he's a spire elf? Those spoke Azlanti natively, did they?
(Aquan) - "That human tongue of the north would not happen to be Azlanti, would it? I have to admit, I have somewhat of an interest in history and these ancient empires of man. Yet, it seems to be a dead language to them today, and many old writings are all but lost to these hairless monkeys who came after the masters of old. Is it difficult to learn?"
Nivian quite clearly expresses an enthusiastic interest in this.
Rillum returns to his work furious and convinced the pirates will never return his things, regardless of what hoops they set and he jumps through.
The change in rum drives him into an even greater rage. His plan has been co-oped by incompetents, weak production that with just minor adjustments could turn the crew into eager servants. Fools!
He stashes the rum ration as the three days before.
His night action is to investigate the lock to the quartermasters, to see if it within his abilities.
You sneak about and eventually make your way to the quartermaster's store. You can hear the rambunctious laughter of Grok and Fishguts coming from their shared cabin. As you bebin to inspect the lock on the quartermaster's store, it is plainly apparent that is was never clicked shut. The lock hangs open.
Your knowledge and linguistics checks confirm the correlation to the Mordant Spire.
You are mildly addicted to alcohol. No immediate effects. Beginning the next day, if you do not consume alcohol of some kind, you will experience a -2 penalty to Constitution. You must go without alcohol while succeeding at two consecutive saves (DC 5) to kick the habit. If you continue to drink alcohol (on the following days), failure on the addiction save increases your addition to moderate making the penalties more severe.
In the morning...
(Aquan) "Azlant is the northern human tongue. The Azlanti are the people and they still speak it as do many of their descendents. Was not one of your own parents a human? How is it that you do not speak either one of the tongues of Man?"
(Aquan) - *Slightly offended at the last remark* - "Why would one of my parents be a human? Was one of yours one? I speak the language of my people, Aquan, that of yours, and I also speak the Language the Humans now speak everywhere. As I told you, the nothern tongue is lost to them, and there never was need for the southern one since they share a new language with all races."
Amazed, but fearing a trap, Rillum slips into the room and closes the door quietly behind himself. (Careful not to latch the lock . . .)
He immediately goes to his bag to see what is still inside, then checks the room for other 'opportunities'. Alchemical products and tools will be his first priority.
Rigger
Lookout
Cook's Mate
Bull Session
Swabs
Hauling Rope and Knot Work
Rat Catcher
Swab the Decks
Runner
Aerel spends most of his day hanging out about 60 feet up in the crow's nest.
Today is the day that Fishguts finally opens up about his past, telling stories of cooking at one of the more prominent establishments at Port Peril before joining up with the Wormwood and not of his own choosing. While having their little bull session,
The rumors and stories of Sandman's apparently never sleeping are starting to unsettle the crew and in an effort to kind of ensure he's tired enough to pass out tonight, he's given the job of hauling rope and knot work. Moving the various ropes across the ship and back again seems to keep him occupied most of the work day.
Today Baltzar is given a bucket and mop and told to swab the decks. In addition mopping, she has to scrub them with sandstone blocks or holy stones.
Master Scourge just loves watching you chase rats and vermin all across the holds, and today is no different. On Rat Catcher duty again, you notice he barely leaves the level of the ship that you are on and hardly even takes his eyes off of you.
After such an impressive day of running about with practically one leg, you get assigned the same gig again. Apparently the crew loved to watch your maneuver around and tumble about as untimely spills and accidental drops seemed to come just at the wrong times.
Before Rhemus went down to the Galley, Sandman handed him his mask. "Put this somewhere near you while you work today. Bring it back tonight. Up to you if you want to tell Fishguts the truth, or take the credit yourself."
When Rillum was named the day's Runner, Sandman cast a quick cantrip to create a whisper-link to him. He caught the little rat-man's attention and let his voice carry on the wind. "Do you hear me? I will try to maintain this throughout the day so we may speak if we need to"
He renewed the spell whenever Rillum ran up onto the main deck throughout the day.
While he worked he ended up near Barefoot Samms.
"Giffer told me you were taken at the same time she was. How are you holding up?"
The mask spent the day in the galley with Rhemus quietly listening to Fishguts' drunken yarn. While they jawjacked, the mask soaked in Fishguts' depression and misery. The walls were saturated with it. It was in everything he touched. It was like a buffet.
Slowly, the dingy, grease stained walls brightened as the mask sated itself, the filthy aprons went from brown to white, the old pans with the burned-on food looked freshly scrubbed.
By the end to the day, the galley was spotless. The mask neither asked nor cared if Fishguts or Cut-Throat were sober enough to notice.
Nivian, again, heads down into the ship, ready to catch vermin. She notices Scourge staring at her frame as she acrobatically hunts after the rats in various parts of the ship. She decides not to mind him. As long as looking is all he does, she'll happily entertain him and keep him off the others.
Being heavily frustrated that nobody on the ship except those she came with and Sandara are interested in a closer alliance rather than superficial friendship, and knowing that just being on friendly terms with someone does not mean they will be helpful if things go from bad to worse, Nivian is no longer interested in finding allies among the crew. The talks she had last night were an eye-opener in this regard.
She will instead head to the shop area, merely asking if the things she came with are still secured(pointing out what it was and helpfully showing them if she sees them inside), how much it would cost to buy them back, and if Grok is willing to keep them "reserved" for a proper tip until Nivian can buy them back after she receives her first share from a bounty.
Rillum looks carefully at the two simple locks, and the broken lock
If they appear untrapped, he will take 20 to open each, and just open the broken lock chest. (Trapped lockers will be left alone for later).
Barring complications, he will take his gear and stash it a crate in the bilge, then sleep contented for the first time in days.
If day breaks uneventfully, he will take care to do a good job that day. In anticipation of real work that night!
But in spite of his care, his excitement gets the better of him and he ends his day more tired than any other.
She again tries to get to know the rest of the crew as she swabs the deck.
The first lock pops open with ease, but doesn't contain much beyond simple mundane adventuring gear(crow bar, sledge, compass, waterskin, sacks, pitons, hammer, sheath, whestone and a mirror) along with 10 gp.
The second chest takes a little more effort but pops open revealing a small sized masterwork fiddle with the initials RC inscribed in it, a starknife, 3 flasks of acid, 6 flasks of alchemist's fire, four sets of thieves tools, one of which is masterwork, and a battered iron box containing six candles, one inscribed with holy symbols.
The third chest opens easier than the first two (since there was no lock) but the arrow trap totally takes you by surprise skewering into your abdomen for 7 points of piercing damage. Inside the chest you see 3 potions, a masterwork climber's kit, a disguise kit, 4 flasks, a magnifying glass, a set of manacles, and two tanglefoot bags.
Rhemus enjoys spending the day chatting with Fishguts and getting to learn his story. He notices the gradual cleaning of the galley that is occurring around him and wonders to himself, Is the Mask doing this? I would never have suspected the hideous thing could do such an uplifting task.
He will ask Fishguts to let him finish up a little early since the galley is already scrubbed clean, and goes to visit Cut-Throat Grok.
Once he gets to the Quartermaster he pulls out the second fancy bottle of brandy and smiling charmingly at the half-orc, "Mr. Kroop told me you enjoy fine beverages. I have this special vintage and was hoping to trade it for my gear that you have been holding here. My gear is all small sized so pretty useless for most on the ship. What do you say?
It doesn't really matter where you on the ship, as everyone notices the shear speed at which Jack Scrimshaw was moving up the stairs to each deck. It wasn't just the speed either, it was the way he was forcing his way past everyone, shoving everyone that wasn't an officer out of his way. It wasn't until he reached the main deck and shouted up to Mr. Plugg. My the time Mr. Plugg made his was down to the main deck from the poop deck, plenty of eyes and ears had gathered close enough to see what all the commotion was.
"Well, spit it out lad. What's got ya in such a huff?" Mr. Plugg glares at him.[/b]
"Well sir, it was me day to be in the bilges, and I was sir. Cleaning and pumping as hard as me could, when something in the water jumped up and bit me sir. Honest!"
Mr. Plugg does not look convinced, but does notice that a crowd has started to gather. "Fine, you new swabs, grab the cook's mate and that elf rigger and check it out. If any's of you's don't come back, then we'll be use the rest as chum for shark's stew tomorrow night!" which seems to get a hearty cheer from the crew.
"Tell Rhemus to meet us in the bilges. There's something down there and we're the lucky fellows who get to go after it. If he could bring a few knives, we might need them." Sandman whispered to Rillum on the wind.
Rillum takes his pack, replaces the masterwork tools with the ones he got from Nivian. He closes the first box untouched. For the second box, he chews the candles to bits, spitting the wax around all three boxes, and puts bite marks around the broken lock and lids. He purposefully bleeds to a tiny hole in the wall at one corner ( too small for him) and places the bloody bolt in the hole. He stuffs his wound with cloth to keep from dripping after that.
He breaks one vial of acid over the rest of the second box's contents after taking the fiddle, the alchemists fire and other acid flask. He leaves the contents of the third box alone.
Following this, Rillum does as said before, he stashes all this material in the bilge. In addition, after all this, he seeks out Nivian.
"You gave gift of healing once before, I need again, now, if you are willing. I will pay if you wish, or trade more tasks, but it is important. If this wound is discovered, I will, might never be able, be around, to help again."
If she is amenable, he accepts her aid. Otherwise, or if the wound fails to heal completely, he seeks out Sandman with the same request.
In any event, he also asks if Sandman can clean cloth, like he did the bilges and asks to have the blood removed from his clothes.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
She heads down to the bilges with the others.
On the way down to the bilges Rillum shouts to Rhemus to bring some knives with him. Rhemus grabs a few galley knives holding them high for Fishguts to see and yells, "Trouble in the bilges, I have been ordered down with some knives!"
He then runs after Rillum casting 'Shield of Faith' as he reaches the lowest level ofthe ship.
On the way down to the bilges Rillum shouts to Rhemus to bring some knives with him.
He was wearing his mask. It seemed to grip his face at the edges, pulling on his skin as if it were lined in small claws.
Its eyes glowed faintly with purple light and the scars that mapped his body seemed to have deepened in color from pale blue to black, with flecks of light shining faintly within each puckered line, as if Rillum could see the starry sky through tears in his body. He cast no shadow save for dark slashes beneath him, as if he were completely transparent save for his scars.
The mask stared at him, then cast it's eyes downward to his hand.
With a sudden motion Sandman knelt and snatched Rillum's tiny hand, staring at the wound. The blood on Rillum's body and clothes began to turn to a blackish mist, raising up off of him and being pulled toward the mouth, like Sandman was inhaling the remnants of the blood.
Sandman held tight to the wound, staunching the bleeding as the blood turned to smoke.
It hurt.
"Pain is the price of your endeavors tonight. You have earned this. Do not shy. Never seek to cheapen the costs of your victory. The more you learn to endure, the more you are able to endure in the future."
Sandman's voice sounded like it came from very far, half whisper, half echo.
When he let go, the bleeding had stopped.
On the way down to the bilges Rillum shouts to Rhemus to bring some knives with him.
Since you are the runner today, Sandman cast message on you to keep in contact. He asked you to ask Rhemus to bring knives in case they needed to fight something in the bilge.
** spoiler omitted **
Rillum is healed 1 hit point as the Nightmare of Sandman staunches the bleeding and cleans his clothes enough to remove any traces of blood. Rillum is still weak from blood loss, but the obvious signs of said blood loss have been removed, albeit painfully.
So other than Rillum being healed (or not) during the middle of the night, the events of the day will proceed. Jack runs up on deck, Mr. Plugg dispatches the newest crew members to investigate, and you are all standing around the trapdoor to the bilges. Some of you are more familiar with this area than others.
Standing above looking below into the bilges, you don't see much. Flotsam and Jetsam, debris everyone. The brackish water is about two feet deep, but every now and then, you can hear splashing or see shadows flickering under the water. Rhemus and Aerel go before the opposition.
The wound healed quickly. It was as if all the itching and discomfort of letting it heal naturally over the course of weeks were compressed into five seconds. It was a fast, complex array of painful discomfort that was over in moments and left a pale blue scar as the only sign of it's passing.
Rhemus hands each of the Crew a galley knife and pulls out an oversized dagger for himself. He then whispers a few words and the dagger 'Lights' up shedding a clear glow 20 ft. around the halfling.
Continuing the discussion with Nivian...
The elf's expression is inscrutable behind the mask as he remarks, Aquan - "There are many who speak Azlant in the north. The Azlanti people are found throughout Cheliax. You are not a waterborn human? Odd, as I took you to be Undine. My apologies for not clearly recognizing you. As for your question, no, I am not an half-elf. In general they can be distinguished from full blooded elves by their smaller ears. See? We were both fooled by generalizations."
Day 4 Job...
Aerel easily scales the rigging to the crow's nest and settles in for a boring day... too boring. He is idly watching a pod of dolphins capering in the wake of the ship's bow when he hears the call to come back down to the main deck. Rapidly descending along the ropes, he is down in scant seconds and follows the others to the bilge, stopping only to grab a net from his footlocker. If offered, he accepts one of the daggers from the halfling.
Looking down into the murky waters of the bilge, the elf shrugs and drops down, his net ready in one hand and the dagger in the other.
(Elven) - "Really? I was under the impression that the people in Cheliax were just mimicking that language? So you are saying they are the real deal? Unfortunate, I had hoped natively the language would be more sophisticated. I am not a waterborn human, no, but I am Undine. Much as you are not a long-eared human, young elf. I am certain you will learn in time that there are more races than yours and humans."
Following that, she will turn and leave, obviously angry that she allowed an ELF of all things to disrupt her balance, and that she even responded to his repeated insults.
No good. You should have known better, Girl, you should know better. Nothing good ever came of an elf, why would this be different
_____________________________________________
Next day, on Bilge Duty
When the others come to pick up Nivian from her Rat-Catching Duty and tell her what she needs to do, Nivian will approach Master Scourge who was observing her from nearby:
"Sire, as you may have seen in these past hours, I'm of a light build, and not well suited to using improvised clubs. I had a weapon I was skilled with when I came on board. May I request that it be handed back to me, lest I end up catching whatever is down there with my bare hands? I think I have proven that I'm not trouble and actually want to be part of the crew, and I'm afraid I'll end up with the wrong kind of bite marks if forced to do this-also, the sooner I am done down there, the faster I can come back to my duties here..." while giving him an ever-so-slight smile.(Nothing too forward)
Rillum waves a furry hand at Rhemus as the halfling passes him a kitchen knife. "No, you can keep, hold to that. I have no need, not now, not anymore." he seems giddy, even eager to enter the bilge. "Plans, steps have been taken." He whispers, "My weapons are recovered. Give me time, cover my path. we will make short work of the beasts."
Sandman takes a knife and slips it into the sheath on his belt where his own used to be. It was not a snug fit, but it would do for now. He held his intricately carved belaying pin club in his hand.
"Lets see what we can stir up." taking hold of a broken crate he tossed it toward the back to see what was disturbed by the splash.