Fearing the officers will take advantage of the sleeping hours to elicit payback from TapTap, Arden stays close to the halfling. She chooses a place close to him to sleep for the night, though her plan is to keep a vigil over him.
Hungry, and a little upset at Tap's unfortunate impulse, Jack goes to the kitchen to fix a late night meal of fried fish and dough-balls. When done, he takes a plate to his friend Kroop and a bit of grog he found stashed behind the sack of onions, cleans up the kitchen; but instead of going to bed, Tap sneaks off toward the officers quarters to see and hear what he might hear.
Swiftly Jack moves along, and up the stair to the main deck. Stealing in the shadows, he edges toward the quarters and trips over some rope left laying the ground, giving a loud curse.
Tap once again sneaks near the officers quarters to determine if they will give him trouble the next day.
At Jack's mishap, the hushed voices in the officer's quarters cease. An irate Riaris Krine steps out to confront not only Jack, but Taptap, who was close by.
What's a swab and Fishguts' maid doin' about here...snoopin'?
No snoops are we, master Krine. We came as emissaries, to seek out our surgeon to help that poor creature Owlbear. For he is in a poor state and needs a healer's attentions.
And I was going after Jack to tell him to leave the stupid lout alone. Why fix what I worked so hard to break, Jack?
I'm the sneak Jack, why not leave this to me.
Thou art a poor liar Tap. I told thee to leave it alone. You cheated, and that's the end of that. I'm not going to stick my neck our thee. And a coward too; ask them thyself.
Cheated! Tap growla white with rage.
Tap moves over to Jack and pushes Jack hard in the chest.
Ass! you owe me tomorrow's grog fair and square. You can't now be offering it to stupid Owlbear because I cracked his rib, stupid ass hat Jack.
Tap pushes Jack again.
And I'd have had that 100 gold too if it want for your soft heart bleeding on about how we should pity the lout.
Shoving Tap aside, Jack growls, Ach! You've had to much too drink. Turning to go, Jack asks the officer, Wilt thou not send the healer to see Owlbear, sir?
Krine watches the exchange in growimg disgust, until she snarls and spits on the deck at her feet. The dog can lick 'is own wounds, be q good lesson for 'im. An' you two - get yer arses back to yer bunks! I see ya' out here again and its the lash. She stands to watch your retreat, her hands on her hips.
Yes, Ma'am. At once
Tap glares at Jack.
Cmon Ass Cap Jack!
Taptap turns and walks quickly to his bunk.
Why are these two so prone to trouble.
Arden sits up as Tap and Jack return to their bunks. "You two need to be more careful!"
Kerruk rolls over from where he has apparently been asleep. Agreed. he murmurs.
tell jack to leave the sneaking to me.
Though some sleep with half lidded eyes, expecting some sort of retribution for the evening’s failed entertainment, the night passes uneventfully. The light of a new day welcomes in the smell of unwashed bodies and saltwater, and the promise of yet another day of hardship and toil.
Today, the sunlight is filtered through clouds, and its rays are not quite as damaging as the days before. A faint breeze also cools the air, as it brings a salty mist to sunburned backs. The waters are faintly choppy. Master Scourge hands out the orders today, with First Mate Plugg watching from the Poop deck. The captain is missing, as usual.
Tap will work dilligently, hoping to not attract attention.
Jack must help to prepare another special dinner of some sort for the captain, then it's off to fishing the next day.
Tap is first a rat-catcher, and then has to man the bilges.
Kerruk joins Tap in his attempt to solve their rat problem, then is set to swabbing the decks.
Arden works the Mainsail, attempting to accommodate for the stiff wind, then works as a lookout, watching for distant storm clouds.
still don't like rats nor the bilges.
Tap notices that Kerruk tired from his work, and so sings a sea shanty.
You say there's no use trying to protect you from the danger and dread
Though this world is made of fearsome beasts that bark and bite
We born to put these creatures through one hell of a fight
May we feast upon the flesh of any fever that befalls you tonight
Sooner sides will spread wide open
we shall feast when darkness falls
sing until our jaws are broken
'neath the black and waters cold
Kerruk and Taptap both prove successful in their rat-catching, snaring enough so that Scourge is confident they won’t have any more issues. Afterwards, Taptap works the bilge pump tirelessly, while Kerruk goes through the back-breaking labor of a swab. Tired nearly to collapse, Kerruk is nonetheless emboldened by Tap’s tune, and feels much better.
Jack has some issues with fishing…nothing seemed willing to bite. He enlists the aid of Sandara, who is more than happy to help, and together they haul in a small amount of fish, which Fishguts promises he can stretch with some “filler” to make a proper meal. Butchering the pig is largely more successful, and the special meal is well accepted by the captain and his officers…not that Jack would ever get thanks for it.
On the second day, the clouds are darker, and the skies more ominous by far. A stiff breeze blows, and the water is significantly more choppy than usual.
Arden easily completes her tasks, adjusting the mainsail to maintain their course, and then watching the looming clouds. Towards the late afternoon, she spots a particularly nasty bank of dark clouds headed their way. Before the sun goes down, the rain begins, accompanied by strong winds. Evening festivities are subdued at best, and even the hardiest of the pirates has trouble keeping the contents of his stomach during the turbulent night.
The next morning, the storm well and truly hits the Wormwood. The ship is tossed about on the high seas. The call comes before most are away for “All hands on deck!” Immediately, everyone on the ship is given a job in the rigging, as the winds buffet the ship. The captain himself stands on the Poopdeck, overseeing the work.
Arden and Jack are given the job of Rigging repair, and Kerruk and Taptap are given the job of line work.
Taptap, Kerruk, and Arden pull off their tasks effectively, reacting well to the frantic nature of their orders in the unpredictable storm. Jack, however, did not have the same luck. While attempting to slice a rope in the rigging, his hands – slick with rain and wind-driven sea water slip off of the rope, and it swings away. Tilly Brackett, hoping to help, makes a grab for the rope, but slips with her other hand, and falls from the rigging. Slipping and sliding on the way down, she comes to the edge of the ship, and goes overboard!
Tap picks up a hefty rope and heaves.
The rope lands just barely within Tilly's reach, and she grabs it thankfully. With help, she tries to bring herself closer to the rocking ship.
The wind pushes the rain sideways in a swirling fury against the crew. Streams of sweet water and salty sweat pour down Jacks hands and face, blinding him, and making his hands slippery. Suddenly, the wind catches the rope he is working on and tugs it from his fingers. Cursing, he lunges for the rope, slipping as he does so. From the deck, he looks up to see Tilly make a grab for the rope, slip, and fall into the sea. Jack curses again, and casts about for a rope to fling towards her. Luckily he sees one nearby, quickly tying a loop at its end. Then edging toward the gunwale, Jack looks down to find his target. If it had been night, there may have been no chance, but the morning sun still pushed some light through the dark clouds and he makes out Tilly struggling with the wild ocean waves. Jack casts the rope, but in his hurry, the rope misses his mark.
Holding to the rope, Tap casts around for strong sailors to aid his pull.
Mighty Owlbear. We need your strength! Come to our aid, I beseech thy good spirit!
Well I did knock him about pretty good
Tap grips tight, and braces his legs.
I don't have much weight, but I'm fairly stout
Jack looks on with sudden hope. Grabbing the rope behind Tap, Jack pulls, but to no avail. Looking about, Jack spots Owlbear standing vacantly upon deck facing the gale.
Worthy Owlbear! Stand thou not there stupidly in the rain! Your comrade has been thrown to the sea. Come, let us pull her in. A debt of life is a debt indeed.
It is likely that he does not hear me, or is he unwilling?
Kerruk appears at Owlbear's side, gesticulating wildly: Owlbear, my friend, hear me! The worthy Tilly is overboard, and we need your help! Lend us your aid!
Somewhere amid the gestures and yelling, Kerruk casts Charm Person at the goggling Owlbear.
better make a Diplomacy roll to go with that I guess...
Owlbear reacts quickly, rushing over to grab the rope behind Taptap. He's joined by Jack Scrimshaw, and together, the trio begin to haul Tilly in.
Tilly struggles at first as she gets an idea of how to swim in time with the rope's tug. She gets the hang of it then, and within a few tugs, makes contact with the side of the ship. A few more powerful tugs, and she flops up on deck, coughing out seawater. She weakly nods her thanks, and with help sets back to splicing rope in the rigging.
At the end of the typical pirate day, the storm still rages. Plugg calls for a second shift, and the crew is only given short breaks for hardtack and water before being given new tasks.
Tap climbs on top of a crate and calls for attention
Gather round quickly my fellow sailors, and I will easy thy tired muscles with renewed strength
Tap turns towards the sea
I’ll send a storm to capture your heart and bring you home. Oh, carried on the breeze, you’ll never find me gone. Oh, faster than the post train, burning like a slow flame on,
that might earn me some gratitude from the crew.
My songs are quite refreshing
Tap begins.working on the line, but the tumbling of the sea was too much for Tap.
No sailor am I as the ropes slip
Oh, a hearty soul am I for I feel refreshed by the sea. But its been too long, and my mind is not on my duty
Arden takes a turn on the line to help bring Tilly back on board.