Jack's attack brings his cutlass down into Scourge's chest - a mighty swing by any standards. The Boatswain's knees buckle, and he falls to the ground in a crumpled heap. Jack rips his blade out with a sneer, and an arc of blood follows the blade through the air.
A hush comes over the gathered pirates as they take in the scene. Those who were fighting Jack take a step back, their gazes affixed on the bleeding body. A voice calls out in a piercing screech. Heal the Boatswain! And take them!
The assembly looks to Sandara, who is the nearest thing they have to a priest, but she merely eyes Scourge and spits in a particularly unladylike manner. Cutman, the ship's surgeon, rushes to Scourge's side, still in an attempt to stabilize him. And...no one rushes to Plugg's call.
Tap, feeling heady and stupid, walks to Jack. Placing a hand on Jack's wounded leg, sings a pretty song.
Tap steps back and glowers
Jack nods his thanks, too winded to speak. I hope he does not pay for this act of friendship to me.
Jack looks down, panting. A feeling, deep inside, a roiling rising up inside his gut, a lump of shame and regret, satisfaction and fear. Jack vomits on the deck, and grabs the post, his chest heaving, gasping for air.
After a while, Jack looks up at the crew and wipes his dirty mouth with his sleeve. Then, crouching down over Scourge, he takes his dagger, and fulfills his promise.
When Jack is done, he looks up at the captain. A wicked man was he, and no man did nought but for fear of his whip. But, now, it seems that a new boatswain there must be. Let it be Sandara, for there are none here among the crew who will not heed her.
Tap barely sidesteps Jack's rain of vomit.
Next time I should heal Jack's slain instead
Um, in the meantime. I think ol' Fishguts needs some help right about now. For tomorrow's meal. We're planning something special, don't you know. So, uh. I'll be going?
Belliott is glad to not have had time to indulge in his foolish intentions, if only because of the mess.
True to his word. What a mess. At least it isn't my fault this time
Belliott backs off but looks on with interest.
Plugg looks around at his crew, seemingly bewildered at the lack of response. Meanwhile, cutman seems to have Scourge stabilized. The young sorceress, Longfarthing, walks over to the gathering and casts a spell of some sort on the Boatswain. The fallen man's wounds immediately begin to close even further.
The sorceress eyes Jack with a hungry, heated look that is altogether surprising, but she then turns and moves back towards the poop deck.
Fipps and Scourge's sycophants pick up the fallen man and move him towards the officer's quarters. Plugg takes a step towards Jack, only to be halted by the captain, who has come down from the poop deck. He eyes Jack, Tap, and the others with a crooked grin.
I like spirit, and ye have that..I'll give ye that one. An', yer right - Scourge was an annoying twit...but he knows the boat, and more importantly he's a member of my crew. And no one kills a member of my crew without being punished...even if he's also a member of the crew. Rules are rules... He drags out the last word as he looks from Jack to Taptap.
It's the sweatbox for the little one. But you... He points at Jack. You'll be cleanin' the barnacles off our hull come tomorrow...keelhauling for bloody hour!
There are some cheers, but more jeers among the gathered pirates at the news.
No. Kerruk says sternly as he steps forward. You say we are crew, we are not. We are here against our will, follow the orders of your pathetic officers against our will. Few here serve you out of loyalty, and those that do are closer to beasts than they are men. You command no respect, Harrigan. And never will, unless you earn it. This punishment you have ordered is just another cheap show of force. I defy you, you and the listless sons of whores who do your bidding.
Kerruk's fury finally boils over as the last of his phlegmatic fatalism burns out...He stands tall and proud on the deck, and his eyes glint with remembered starlight as he gazes remorselessly upon the Captain.
Will any of you stand with me against this petty thug and villain?
Tap lets off a huge sigh.
don't do it Kerruk
Before Kerruk had gotten off more than a few words, Tap slugs Kerruk hard in the stomach to shut him up. sorry friend
Speaking to the crew in a booming voice
The captain's judgment is fair. However, I do believe the crew would have Scourge suffer the same judgment...as he also tried to kill a crew member
too much politics here. I'll see how this turns out
The looks about the crew go from merely undecided to downright horrified. Though many no doubt have considered a possible mutiny, that was just the dream of every sailor who has been pressed into service.
Fishguts looks nearly on the verge of tears. Sandara seethes with rage, though it's unclear if her rage is at Jack and Kerruk, the Captain, or the very futility of the situation.
Fipps looks on with glee, while Plugg watches with an air of uncertainty. The Captain, though, seems nonplussed. He leans in close to Kerruk, his breath stinking of tobacco and rum.
Ya know, yer right...crew yer not. Not loyal, an' barely worth a damn. But one thing's for sure...this is my boat and I'll say who does what and when. Gave ya' back yer gear, feed ya, keep ya in rum and give ya a place to sleep...an what? I'm the thug, eh?
So, nah...yer not crew, yer prisoners. And, ya' know what happens to prisoners when they've done something so bad they can't turn back, right?
He looks at the mainmast, considering. No gallows, sure, but pirate justice was never like that. It'll be three bodies that scour our hull tomorrow.
He points at Jack and Kerruk. You, you, and... His finger passes over Scourge to aim at Tap. ...you.
His wide grin takes in all of the gathered pirates, and Plugg sneers wickedly. Now, enough of the show! The Captain turns his back to Kerruk and stalks away.
Tap stares after the captain. Walks over to the railing, vomits in the sea. Then heads down to his hammok to think.
Anyone know a good spell to remove the barnacles from a ship's hull? Jack laughs.
Grease?
You sure did cut Scourge something scary. Think the captain would want someone good with a cutlass on board. urhtumph, Seems a little set in his ways though,cap'n does. Tap moves over to the railing and gazes out at the endless blue.
Are you gonna visit Longfarthing? She seemed to admire your X-eye, Jack
Maybe Jack and I should invade the officer's quarters tonight. What other chance do we have?
Sorry Tap, I doubt that she would intercede on my behalf, even were it true what you said. Our own slim chance at freedom was lost through indecision; we must, I think, endure the inevitable. But perhaps we should seek out Sandara and ask her what to do.
Without waiting for Tap, Jack does just that.
Kerruk, although somewhat unable to fathom quite what went wrong - or how he has so foolishly put his neck in the noose - spends the time remaining to him deep in meditation.
How under the stars can we evade this doom?none here can be seen to help us, that is certain.
Tap moves over to his friend Kerruk.
Sorry for the punch to the stomach. Didn't help anything.
Tap grinned.
I for one will sleep under the stars tonight. And with that, found a likely spot of the way, set his tired head back, and watched the universe turn.
Sandara is found at the starboard railing, leaning on it as if it were holding her up. She gazes out at the moonlit sea, contemplating, though she dips her head at your entrance into her contemplative surroundings. She seems tired and weak when she raises her head.
Not yet….this was too early. We cannot challenge the captain yet...he is too powerful! I know that their commands chafe at you, I know you hate them, but we’re not ready. There are those that would follow you, yes...but these are pirates...their hearts will be more in it if they have a chance to survive and profit.
You have to offer something better...and that’s not always kindness...especially not where pirates are concerned.
She looks back out to see as she leans on the railing. I’ll do what I can to help. I have a spell that should allow you to breathe, and will heal you when you come up...but I fear it won’t be enough.
She seems ready to say more, but shakes her head and walks away, giving Jack’s arm a squeeze on the way.
The next morning, the sun rises and heats the deck as it should, the ocean is wet, and sky is blue….that said, no miracles have come into being to save the doomed ones from their fates. Fipps reminds them several times through the morning of the coming of the bloody hour, now only a shortened work day away.
Early in the morning, though, a call comes down from the Crow’s nest. Sails ahead!
Sure enough, distant sails show to the East, though only a hazy blur at this distance. Captain Harrigan comes out at the call and, after staring through a spyglass, calls out. Ahead full! We’ll catch them...help in the rigging. He leaves Plugg in charge of the situation and heads back into his quarters.
Plugg, after issuing orders, addresses Jack, Tap, and Kerruk. Ain’t the room in the sweatbox for all of ya at once, so we’ll go one at a time. The other two, on deck and swabbin’ where I can keep an eye on ya.
He leans in close to Jack, his hot breath on his face. Don’t think you’re out of this. Cap’n says we need all arms that can hold a sword, but I won’t forget what you did. I pay my debts.
Tap steps forward and into the metal box. Damn you Jack
The morning was cool, and a breeze managed to seep into the metal box. For Tap, the box might even be called roomy, if unfurnished
. Lightheartedly, and hopeful that the spotted sails would lead to redemption; Tap entertained himself by making jokes with any passerby about Scourgey and the new dish Jack had been planning. However as the shadows grew short with the rising sun, gobs of sweat began to roll down his forehead, salty and brown from his unwashed brow.
Belliott hurries up the rigging and works diligently
He seems to have no problem at all
Here's a chance to prove myself. I'm sure whoever that is out there is no match
Almost absently, Kerruk works away diligently, losing himself - for the most part - in the familiar routine of shipboard life. He occasionally spares a glance for the sweatbox, noting the heat of the sun, and fearing somewhat for Tap. He is tough, Tap, but still...
The pursuit of the other ship means nothing to him, unless perhaps a slender chance for he and his friends to escape in the confusion.
Master Plugg, think before thy tongue wags too far. Scourge was no man to shed blood or tears over. Indeed, he is no man anymore at all.
With that, Jack laughs and goes to work, above deck for a change, and mostly trying to stay out of the way.
Plugg’s eyes flash with rage, and he steps closer to Jack, his bare chest heaving. We’ll see Jack…you may have had yer luck against the Boatswain, but remember that I’m not him…and neither is the captain. You may be safe for now, but once we catch and take this ship, don’t think the captain will forget.
During the day, the crew goes about their work with relative ease, not seeming to miss the Boatswain’s sharp tongue and verbal barbs in the least…to no one’s surprise. Several have harsh looks for the near-mutineers, but others offer looks of what appears to be shame at their own lack of involvement in the matter.
Belliott takes to the work in stalwart silence, and quickly proves his worth. Meanwhile, Arden for some reason takes to talking with Fipps and his lackeys, and gives the sentenced one the cold shoulder. All the while, the distant sail draws nearer as the Wormwood gains on it.
Tap is let out of the sweatbox after three hours, and Kerruk is not-to-delicately shown inside by Fipps and Jape, who slam the door shut with a chuckle.
A feeling of dread overtakes Jack.
Kerruk feels his strength and confidence ebbing...but with a burst of harsh energy - and hatred for his captors - he rallies enough to climb out of the sweatbox, attempting to feign indifference.
Kerruk notes Arden's apparent change of heart with silent contempt. Though exhausted and weakened by his time in the box, he begins to feel the faintest stirring of hope. Every so often, he glances upwards to see Tuvor, wings beating joyfully as he rides the winds at a safe distance from the boat.
Steer clear, my friend, until all this is resolved: in one way, or another. And I pray the stars that I gain one clear shot at Plugg's back before this is done. My time may be coming, but so too is his.
Tap notes with interest Arden's apparent conversion. Arden was ever apart, and wise was she to do so. Aligning with Jack is ill business.
All three of the mutineers are impossibly tired from the seatbox, not to mention the awful cramps, soiled clothes, and dehydration. They're let out of the box in time for the evening meal, though no rum rations are allowed due to the impending conflict.
The distant sails get closer through the day and into the evening. Plugg calls for an early night, usually an ill advised order when confronted with an unruly crew. However, this crew can sense the obvious battle coming, and they grudgingly agree.
Early the next morning, the ship is easily visible. A smaller merchant vessel, it now gets closer very quickly as the Wormwood closes on it. Early in the morning, the Captain himself orders Fishguts and Jack to slit the throats of half a dozen pigs and throw them overboard to draw in the sharks.
As the Wormwood closes to within about a half a mile of the ship, Riaris Krine summons you to the poop deck to give you your task in the upcoming battle.
The ship’s wheel is on the aft deck, just below the sterncastle. You’re going to grapple over, kill the guards on the sterncastle, take the wheel, and guard the ship’s boats. Kill anyone who tries to get away on one of the boats. Don’t move from the wheel until the fighting’s done, or you’ll have to answer to me. Oh yeah, as we get close, it’s going to get foggy. Just stick to what I told you to do.
She points at Jack. Yer’ good as fishbait once this is all over with; maybe do this well and the cap’n has ya’ punished but lets ya’ live…who knows. All of you grappled about as good as a granny, but you did the best outta the bunch, Jack. You lead the boarding party.
She looks to Belliott. Go pick a weapon outta’ the armory, yer gonna’ need it.
Tap looks over to the ship and tries to assess their chances against these pirates, how many fighting capable bodies were aboard, and tge character of the ship's crew. Do they have a chance against us if we defect?
The ship is slightly smaller than the Wormwood, and is apparently a merchant ship. Its guards are well armed, but there aren't enough of them to deal with the Wormwood crew plus officers, unless one of them is quite more than he or she seems.
I have no quarrel with these people. And yet...it is my life or theirs. And for that, the blame lies squarely with Harrigan and his ship of fools. I must fight...and hope.
Kerruk readies himself, in leather armour, shortspears slung across his back. Then he studies the doomed vessel grimly, looking for any advantages or weaknesses.
The enemy ship is a three-masted sailing ship, a touch over 100 feet long and about 30 feet wide. The hull and decks seem to be of good construction and well cared for – a ship with a good professional crew. The crew themselves look to be professional as well – the front line is spaced evenly at the railing of the ship, crossbows raised and ready.
So if I fail to grapple aboard sharks eat me? But if I make it, I become a pin cushion from those crossbows, and if I refuse those deaths by staying aboard, our good captain will keel haul me a twice?
Leeoli sits down and garumphs like a dwarf.
Interested in how I might best influence/improve relations with Riaris Krine and whether it would be worth doing.
Krine nods. Yeah, that's about it. Try and do better than ya did in practice. Her eyes show her amusement, even if its at your own potential demise.
Belliott goes for the largest axe he can find, if available, as well as leather armor if he can get away with it.
He starts to work himself up in preparation, repeating past wrongs done to him over and over in his head to get the blood lust going.
Kerruk grins back at Riaris, mirthlessly and without quarter. I'll take those odds. Perhaps the outcome will surprise you.
The two ships soon enter into reasonable firing range, and the crews of both ships begin to let loose! As the Wormwood continues to close on the other vessel, banks of heavy mist suddenly envelop the enemy ship. Not a moment before, the crew on the opposite ship can be seen operating two large ballistae on the sterncaslte.
We will roll initiative and get to the nitty gritty when and if boarding actions occur. Have at thee!
Looking for highest value targets with reasonable chance of Jack's hitting them.
If I see some poor bastard on the sterncastle, I'll shoot at him
Tap peers out to the sterncastle, grabbing a crossbow.
Kerruk joins his friends at the railing and prepares a crossbow of his own. He shoots at the first viable target.