The first thing you begin to feel is the steady rocking of the floor beneath you. A pounding headache threatens to split your skull in half and the sickly sweet taste of wine in your mouth doesn’t seem to help. You look around and begin to hear a rhythmic creaking that’s in time with the rocking of the floor, and you can notice several other unconscious bodies next to you.
You begin to remember bits and pieces from last night. A bar in Port Peril, the ringing of laughter of a wild night, the scents of rich stewed meats and perfume lingering in your nostrils. Before you can start to piece it together, several pairs of heavy footsteps enter the dark room, a harsh light painfully spears across you all.
A man with a long leather coat, trimmed beard, bandanna and a long whip smiles upon you all. He doesn’t smile often as it comes across as looking like he is in pain.
”Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!”
Letting out a little whimper as the sudden sunlight seems to sear its way into her brain, Phaedra squints her eyes as she tries to look about and see where she is.
Who is that doing all the yelling? I surely do not recognize that voice as belonging to anyone on my father's ship?
As her eyes finally manage to focus on the man in the long coat, they widen in surprise as she fails to recognize both the men about her and the ship that she appears to be on.
Oh blessed Shelyn, this is not my father's ship! I've been kidnapped!
Phaedra shakily gets up to her feet, unsure what to say or what to do.
As you walk past, you notice that you are beside to other woman. A fiery red head and an olive skinned Tien girl dressed in a tatter kimono. The man with the whip leers at all three of you "Well well well, what have we caught here? Three fine wenches! Step out of line and I will feed you each to the crew for the night!" He laughs heartily at his joke and the other crew take up the joke.
The fiery red head whirls around "You shall do no such thing or I will make sure Besmara will curse your manhoods until they fall off!" She holds up a necklace of a skull and cross bones and many of the crew step back. The man in charge seems speechless for a moment before saying "Get on deck! All three of you!"
Have I been taken by a crew of cannibals?!
Clearly the naive-minded Phaedra missed the implication of the whip-wielding man at being threatened of being fed to the crew.
When the man yells at them to get up on the deck, a white-faced Phaedra quickly does as she is told.
As you line up on the deck, you see the red haired woman to one side, and the olive skinned Tien woman on your other side. Down the line you can also see a rather angry looking halfling woman, a flamboyantly dressed goblin, a tall and ruggid looking man with a tattoo of a blue eagle upon his neck. A stout dwarf who keeps looking at all the parts of the ship. As well as a gnome with a puffy hat and a mean looking man with a red bandanna.
The man with the whip paces up and down the line making sure you are all standing in perfect formation before turning to face the upper deck...
Phaedra looks up and down the line wondering what exactly she should expect and trembling a bit, chest slightly heaving as she tries to take some deep breathes in an attempt to calm herself.
Ok, I have to try to stay calm. Eventually father will realize what's happened to me and I am sure he will do everything he can to find me. I just need to not give them any reason to kill me or anything...
The door to a cabin on the upper deck opens and a large imposing bald man walks out. He looks down at all of you. "Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for ‘volunteering’ to join my crew. I’m Barnabas Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don’t
speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that rule and we’ll all get along fine. Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There’ll be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. Mr. Plugg! If you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of ’em."
The captain pats the man with the cat'o'nine tails who signals Master Scourge, who snaps his whip down in front of you. "Alright you swabs, everyone to the ropes, were going to see who's the best climber! Climb at the start of the snap of my rope!"
He waits until everyone is ready and snaps his whip
As you climb, you get a good speed going and get up ten feet before you fall.
You here a guffaw from behind you and Scourge screaming at you "Try it again you wench!" and he cracks his whip at you, striking your back
The whip racks across your back and begins to sting with a lot of pain. You begin to try to climb again, but just can't get the same momentum. Scourge screams out in rage and prepares to strike you again. The whip strikes out and you hear the snap, but you don't feel anything. Looking up you see the clean shaven man with the blue eagle tattoo on his neck standing over you. A large red welt upon his chest.
"Get out of the way, you git!" Scourge yells at him in defiance, but the man doesn't move. Scourge strikes him again with the whip and another bloody welt is left upon the man's chest. He stands there not moving. Scourge is about to strike a third time when a whistle is called, looking up you can see the Dwarf has made it to the top.
Mr. Plugg calls out "Well we now have out rigger!"
Phaedra lets out a small cry of pain as she land on the deck and a louder one when the whip strikes her back. Fearful of continued punishment, Phaedra gets back to her feet and tries the climb again.
Failing to get back up and hearing the man with the whip screaming at her again, Phaedra cowers as she tries to ready herself for another lash of the whip again.
When she hears the whip crack, but fails to feel it strike her tender flesh, Phaedra turn around. Her eyes widen in surprise as she sees the man standing in front of her and realizes that he has taken the lash meant for her. She winces again in sympathetic pain as he takes yet another lash meant for her as he ignores the man's command to move out of the way.
Who is he? Why is he protecting me?
At the whistle and the call of the rigger being chosen, Phaedra comes up behind the man and hesitantly touches him on the back.
Whispering: "Thank you sir." With tears still in her eyes from the pain of her earlier lashing.
He digs into his pocket and hands her a piece of soft cloth to tab her eyes with. "Don't mention it. I will make sure to get us out of this, or die trying. I'm Aldon, Aldon Longstrider."
Before Phaedra can respond, Master Scourge cracks down how whip once again. The bald first mate Mr. Plugg paces up and down the line looking at each of you. "Fishguts, the cook, needs an assistance. Who here can cook?" He looks at you all with inspecting eyes.
Down the other side of the line, a small green hand shoots up, "Ooo! Ooo! Havok cook! Havok cook real good!!!" Plugg looks to the goblin and scoffs.
"Anyone at all?" He asks, ignoring Havok.
Phaedra pretty much cowers in place as the bald man paces up and down while staring at them. Too scared to say anything.
Plugg sighs as no one steps forward, he walks back over to the goblin and just stares at him. "Why should I let you cook?"
Havok bounces with such exciting intensity that he pulls out a a small bag. He opens it and offers something inside to Plugg. Plugg takes the whole back "How did you get this?" He takes out a small brown ball, gives it a sniff and eats it. He stops for a long moment, eating whatever it is before tossing the bag back to the goblin. "Fine, get downstairs to the kitchens!"
He then turns to the rest of the "recruits", "The rest of you are now swabs. So grab some buckets and get washing!"
Phaedra tries to swab near Aldon and introduce herself to him.
"Thank you again Aldon. My name is Phaedra. Phaedra Valerius."
Unused to such hard work, Phaedra finds herself quite fatigued by the end of the day.
Aldon scrubs the decks along with Phaedra. "Good to meet you, my lady Valerius. Excuse my manners for saying this, but you certainly don't look like the type to be on this here boat. How did you wind up being in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
Phaedra gives a sad little sigh. "My father is a merchant sailing Captain from Korvosa. We had to make an unscheduled stop at Port Peril after a rough storm damaged our boat and make a few repairs. I was out seeing to some resupplying and stopped by a tavern for a quick bite to eat. Next thing I know I am waking up here."
Phaedra is near tears again after recounting her story.
Aldon almost stops to console Phaedra before seeing the eyes of Scourge upon him. "I promise that when we get out of this, I will get you home to your father. Just keep your head down as best as you can and try to stay out of trouble. I can see about doing the rest."
Having finished for the day, Fishguts comes out with Havok the goblin in toe. He dishes out a thick turtle stew, which is surprisingly delicious. Along with the stew everyone is given their rum rations.
At the end of the day, poor Phaedra is so exhausted that she eats and drinks everything handed to her.
She will try to find an out of the way spot to sit down so that she can watch the crew and try to figure out who is safe to attempt to befriend.
After dinner is served and the rum rations given out. A man in chains is brought on to deck. Captain Harrigan appears once again on the high deck. "Magpie, Magpie, Magpie! You should have known better to steal from me! You know the punishment! Boys! Rope him up! But I be a fair man Magpie! I offer ye a choice. Fast or slow?" The last question causes Harrigan to grin in a wide smile with all of his crooked teeth showing.
The man in chains holds his head high and says nothing, the Captain chuckles "Fine! Fast it is!" And a cheer goes up from the crew. A rope is tied around Magpie and you can see that it trails of the bow. You can also see Plugg and Scourge holding on to a rope coming up from the stern. Both men have wide grins on their faces.
A whistle is sounded and Plugg and Scourge tug on the rope as hard as they can. Magpie is dragged off the front of the boat. Both Plugg and Scourge smile with glee, and within a few moments they begin dragging something onto the deck. All that appears is a lump of blood and gore, wearing the shredded closes of Magpie! Captain Harrigan waves his hand at the dead body, "Feed that to the sharks!" and the body is kicked overboard.
Confused at to what is going on, Phaedra watches as the man is pulled by the rope over the railing.
What is going on? What are they doing? I never saw anyone on Father's ship being tossed over like that as punishment.
Phaedra goes white-faced as the bloody corpse is dragged back aboard the ship. Unable to stand the sight of bloody corpse, Phaedra falls to the deck in a faint.
You start to smell something rather pungent and salty that quickly rouses you. As you come to, you notice a green face smiling over top of you, waving a small glass jar in front of your face.
"Pretty lady fall down! Good thing Havok have smelly jar! Smelly jar always wake people up. Unless people dead! Pretty lady need help up? Havok help!" The little goblin proceeds to help you stand. As he is a bit too small and not very strong, Aldon gives him a hand.
The goblin holds out his hand "Me Havok, Havok Fingerburst! What name of pretty lady?"
Phaedra is a bit taken aback by the sight of the little goblin standing over her.
"Oh, uhm, thank you, Havok?"
Phaedra accepts the help of Havok and Aldon, smiling at both of them in thanks.
"My name is Phaedra Valerius."
Havok beams up to Phaedra, "Pretty Phaedra? Did you have pretty toy when you came on but now lost it?" He mimics the motion of playing your instrument. "Havok saw it in the quartermasters shop!"
"Why yes, I did have a musical instrument with me. My little harp. It was a present from my father on my 16th birthday."
Havok nods his head up and down rather happily, "Havok found it! You help Havok get it? Havok also found his recipe book in same container! But couldn't stay to get it. Pretty Phaedra help Havok get stuff?
Phaedra looks a bit uncertain. "Well, sure. I'll help, but I don't even know where they keep the stuff or who to talk to about getting it back."
Havok shakes his head and whispers, "Talk? No talk! Take! It ours, so we free it! Meet Havok by bunks downstairs after dark! We free stuff!"
Phaedra shakes her head no. "After seeing what happens to thieves? No, I'd rather try talking. I don't wanna get keelhauled."
Havok giggles, "Havok won't get punished, they need to catch first. Havok really good sneak!" He waves to you happily before darting away.
Aldon snorts once he is gone, "Poor fool is going to get himself killed before the day is out....Well looks like the rest of the day is over, and I haven't worked that hard in a few months, so I'm going to hit the bunks... if you don't feel safe yet... you could sleep in the bunk besides me?" Aldon seems to blush a bit slightly
"I doubt that I'll ever feel safe aboard this ship. I would feel a bit better though sleeping near you."
You finally head to bed for the night, taking up a corner bunk so that Aldon could sleep by you for protection. As you head to bed, both the fiery red head and the Tien woman watch you, obviously intent about something.
In the morning, you wake up to find your harp tucked into your bunk besides you.
My harp!
Phaedra looks about, wondering how it got there.
It must have been the little goblin. My, he is a sneaky little fellow.
After making sure her harp is covered up before reporting to duty, Phaedra tries to sneak some glances of her own at the two women looking at her the night before.
I wonder what they were watching me for? Should I try talking to them sometime today? There were with the group taken the same time I was, maybe they just want to make friends?
Phaedra heads above deck.
Before you can head up to deck, three men are sitting on the stairs waiting for you. As they see you approach they stand up and approach you, "What's yer hurry?". The man on the left leers at you and rubs his hands together.
"Uhm, well, we need to get back on deck before the final call. Won't we get lashes if we are late?"
Phaedra attempts to move around them. She really doesn't want to be punished for being late.
The three men crowd around you, and as you look around, the entire floor has been emptied out of people. "I don't think your understanding the situation here. So I ask again, what's yer hurry?"
You are forced on to the ground and the man on the left instantly tries to grab you under your skirt.
Two of the men pin your arms and legs down while the third begins to remove your small clothes from underneath your skirt. He laughs with glee as he tries to open his belt buckle.
Phaedra attempt to wiggle out from underneath the men, but fails.
"No! Stop this and get off of me!"
Phaedra becomes frightened as she has finally realized the men's intent.
The man leers down at you "Good! I like when they squirm!" He looks down at you with a hunger, but is suddenly distracted as flask from above is thrown on top of him. The air suddenly becomes hot as the flask explodes, showering the other two men in fire. Miraculously you appear to be unharmed. You hear a mad giggle from above you and see Havok hiding in the rafters.
Down the stairs comes four other people, Aldon with a large club in his hand, he bats away at the two men holding your legs. The Tien woman who has thrown a dagger right at the lead man and holds a larger knife to his gut. The surly looking dwarf comes clambering down and helps you up, he brushes your dress off "Sorry we didn't come sooner, lass. The gobbo came running up said you were in trouble."
The last person to comes down is the fiery red head. She looks displeased with the whole situation. She walks over to the three men and holds out a symbol of a skull and cross bones. "I told you Besmara would curse you manhood if this would happen! Luckily we got here before you made a big mistake. So I leave it up to the girl" She turns towards the tien woman still holding a knife at the mans crouch. She then looks back to you, "Its up to you. They committed this against you, so you decide his fate"
A tearful and shaken Phaedra allows the dwarf to assist her to her feet as she still appears shaken by what just almost happened.
"Thank you all so much for coming at all. I was so scared. I never, I mean, I've never been in that kind of situation before."
Phaedra is flushed red from embarrassment and keeps her eyes on the floor until Sandara addresses her.
"You want me to decide?"
"I, I don't think I want to see any bloodshed. Just make them swear to never, ever touch me again. I don't even want them looking in my direction without asking for permission first."
The Tien woman withdraws her knife and curses in an unknown language, you can hear Havok above you giggle as he drops down from the ceiling. He now has a belt full of various sized flasks and bottles.
The three men get up from where they have been laying and run up the stairs. Aldon looks to you with shame "I should have been by your side. I'm so sorry... I can never forgive myself..."
You feel a warm hand on your shoulder and come face to face with the fiery red head. "Hello Phaedra, Aldon told me your name. My name is Sandra, the young Tien girl with the knives is Mierra, and our dwarven friend over there is Norbin. I believe you have already met Havok..." She looks over to the goblin who waves like a little kid.
"You will need to keep your head down to survive on this ship, luckily you have us to look out for you, and we expect the same from you. Besmara willing we will get off this ship and get our own! Now lets get on deck before we are all whipped for being late!"
Phaedra nods. "Yes, you are right. Let's get up there. And thank you all so much again for helping me."
As they all begin to head up the stairs, Phaedra gives Aldon a very quick hug and talks to him quietly. "It's ok, it's not your fault and you helped save me."
As you begin heading up the stairs, a small tug at your skirt brings your attention around to Havok, who beams up at you. "Pretty lady join our crew of friends! Friends keep secrets! Can you keep secrets, Pretty lady?"
Phaedra smiles down at the cheerful little goblin. "Yes, I can. I owe you guys alot for that save."
Havok takes off his hat and rubs his temples before returning the hat "Thank goodness! You have no idea how difficult it is to talk like that. I grew up in Absalom gosh darnit! I studied at the Arcanamirium where I majored in advanced physics and magical theory, and yet people will look at me funny if I don't talk like a five year old boy, it's incredibly frustrating!"
Havok thrusts his arms out in a stopping gesture, "Sorry, had to have a bit of a rant to let off steam. Were almost out on deck so I should resume my kid talk. Oh joy...."
Just as you make it on deck, Mr. Plugg the first mate rings the bell to start chores. He looks over at the group of you, at first with surprise, then with rage and disappointment.
Phaedra looks rather surprised at the goblin's change of speech patterns and just listens as silence as he talks.
Phaedra works diligently as she takes an occasional glance around her, looking for someone to talk to while she sings to herself as she works.
Phaedra decides to try to talk to Aldon first. "If you don't mind me asking Aldon, how did you end up here? You don't exactly seem like a pirate either."
Aldon is swabbing the deck as you speak to him, he continues to scrub as he speaks. "Ever heard of the Grey Corsairs? Their privateers for the Andoran government who fight slavery. I was a marine stationed on a ship and was sent on a special mission to Port Peril to find evidence of Okena slavers. I stopped in a Tavern for a drink and a bite to eat and I woke up here. A bit of irony..."
Phaedra shakes her head. "Sorry, but I haven't heard of the Grey Corsairs. Father didn't think that learning anything of a military nature was fit for a young girl. It certainly does seem to be ironic that you were taken though."
"Havok, what about you? How did you end up on this ship?"
Before you can ask Havok your question, Aldon continues, "I wasn't really the patriotic type, my cousin got me into it. You would have liked him, all the girls seem to. He's a doctor."
Havok looks to Phaedra and her question. He takes a look around to see if anyone is looking or within ear shot. "Theoretical knowledge can only go so far. I could sit in a lab and continue to experiment, or I could hit the road and learn everything hands on, applied! So I told my adopted Father my plan and I came out here looking for Adventure. I'm probably one of the only people who didn't mind being kidnapped."
"Sandra? How about you?"
She seems like she belongs a pirate ship. She certainly looks the part with that hat and she seems so full of self-confidence and not scared of anything.