Shikyo thinks a bit about Jack's plan and then says
Is good. We make friends and our enemies fight themselves. Win fight before fighting.
Diredon simply nods and winks at Grok.
He is a good sort, once ya get to know him, and I hope a good teacher as well.
Dieredon retires early in preparations for tomorrow's activities as he contemplates the new alliances formed.
Treggor drinks his rum and wanders off to find a sailor to make nice with. He didn't like being friendly, really, but he knew that allies can mean the difference between commanding a ship and being forced into servitude.
But ultimately he could do nothing but fume at the situation and ended up retiring to get his wits back.
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In between drinks, Alfonso makes sure to let his fellow travelers know that they would have Rosie Cusswell on their side, if only they can pay for her fiddle and get it back to her.
He chooses to turn in early, in order to rest up after the hard day's work.
Alfonso, since Grok is on our side, let me head to her with the request and see if we can get the fiddle back for a paltry sum.
Treggor smiles, his yellowed teeth hidden behind his unkempt facial hair. "Ye can have me share of our dwarf's winnings, fee the cause." he says, doing his best to sound genuine and charitable.
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The Press-ganged spend an uneasy night in the holds, as the storm gets worse and worse.
The next morning, the storm is in full swing. The winds howls and the waters churn, and the boat rocks dangerously. Scourge assigns everyone of the press-ganged to rigger duties, even Dieredon.
"It's all hands today, lads!" Master Scourge shouts. He points to Mad Jack and Treggor. "Need you two working the upper rigging. No slacking or ya gets the lash."
He points to the others. "The rest of ya are haulin' rope today. Any slacking and you gets the lash!"
Grizzle works on hauling rope, working through the storm.
Shikyo isn't adapting well to his life on the ship and is exhausted.
Shikyo hauls rope well, even in his exhausted state.
Treggor mans the upper rigging like a true professional. He howls back at the storm as much as it howls down at them, and spites it with all the proficiency of an expert sailor. He even seems to be almost enjoying himself, reveling in a challenge and the chance to show up his poor land-legged crewmates.
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A life spent on the water meant Jack wasn't bothered by a little weather, still the upper rigging wasn't something he relished. His shift started well enough, Jack knew the drill and his partner Treggor was borne to it, but the storm grew progressive worse and as the day drew on Jack started to tire. Hanging precariously from a rope, Jack was struggling with the upper topgallant when a sudden squall ripped the rope from his fingers and he was falling in a moment of pure terror. It was by pure luck he managed to catch the lower topgallant's guy rope but the rope burned his hands as he arrested his fall. Despite this he was laughing, the storm had tried to kill him and he had survived.
Dieredon starts off hauling rope like a pro, but falters in the later stages as he begins to get wet and the rope more slippery.
Spurred on by the threat of the storm, Alfonso finally learns what it is to work.
***
That night the Bloody Hour is a simple affair of a few sailors getting a cuff from a rope bash, rather than the lash that Scourge was actually threatening. Alfonso, Grizzle, Badger and Sandara take a whomp each from the rope bash for one failing or another during the day.
Dinner is another depressing biscuit rather than the hearty meal from the night before. Given the way the boat sputters about, the rum ration is optional that night.
"No rest for the wicked, you scurvy dogs! The Pirate Queen is pissed tonight, so nobody sleeps! Back to the riggin' with you lot."
"****" Grizzle cusses, drinking his rum and getting back to work.
Treggor has no trouble completing his duties, but he's not as young as he once was, and the fatigue of working overnight settles heavily upon him.
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Alfonso works like a dog, and is barely standing by dawn.
Shikyo does better with the second night of no sleep, but he looks haggard.
Through the darkness of the night the storm howled with all its might. At times the swell was so great, it was all Jack could do to cling onto the missenmast for dear life. Others saw him jumping from one part of the rigging to another propelled by the wind and laughing into the teeth of the storm like a madman. His face when illuminated by lightning was was wide eyed and twisted into a rictus grin. After a particularly heavy crash as the ship wallowed in the swell, Jack remarked to Treggor, "Gods I love a good storm!"
"Aye, it makes the blood pump, but I would favor me a good night's sleep anymore!" Treggor says with a hint of crankiness.
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Dieredon sets to the task, and the exhaustion overwhelms him.
From another end of the mizzenmast Badger, laughs heartily.
"Plenty of ways to keep your blood pumping that don't involve sleeping. Ain't that right, Jack?"
The beautiful woman flips a strand of silver hair back, and works to tie down a heavy length of rope. But then suddenly, too suddenly a rogue wave slams into the ship, and the ship violently lurches one way, and then another. The Press-ganged saw it coming, and braced themselves accordingly, but poor Badger is thrown forward, her head slamming against the rail, and then backwards into the briny deep.
Man over! Man over!
Dieredon points to where she went over, but is too exhaste to do anything but yell over the sounds of the waves.
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Alfonso rushes to Treggor's side, and claps him on the back.
"Well, go get her, man! You're the best swimmer here! And it sounds like she has the hots for you, to boot."
Treggor grunts. "Aye, get me a rope!" he says, "Tie it around me so ye cin hoist us back aboard!"
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Sandara comes up to Treggor, and casts a light spell on her holy symbol. She then takes the glowing pendant and puts it around his neck.
The others tie the rope securely around Treggor.
An explosive oath escaped Jack's lips as Badger fell. Drowning was every Sailor's nightmare.
Quick as a flash, Jack was down and straining to see any sign. Was that an arm? "There!" he cried. Coming to a split second decision, Jack clapped Alfonso on the back and jumped in after her!
Treggor jumps in after the two of them.
"Ye truly be mad, Jack!"
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Mad Jack lives up to his name by diving into the water -- without a rope. He catches up to Badger easily, and brings her head above water. She seems weak as a kitten and nearly unconscious.
Treggor is feeling the hours weigh in on him, and can't make it to Jack and Badger.
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Treggor is flailing for a moment, but Alfonso's voice calls out to him and he pushes just a little harder. Suddenly, his hands wrap around Jack and Badger.
From the ship a chorus of voices shout out, "Heave!"
The three sailors are brought to the side of the ship. Ropes are thrown down. And slowly but surely the three sailors are brought up.
Sandara helps Badger throw up an alarming amount of sea water. But in the end, the nearly out of it woman manages to slur a thanks to Treggor and Jack.
"Ye o.k lass?" Grizzle says, helping her to her feet.
"Ye o.k lass?" Grizzle says, helping her to her feet.
Badger hesitates and then nods shakily. "I - I will be."
Master Scourge cracks his whip in the air. "Everyone, back to work! That means, you, too, Badger! We ain't lettin' this ship sink just cause some dumb bint got wobbly legs. HUP TO IT!"
Dieredon smiles...
Well done boys!
Shikyo watches the proceedings with interest. He personally would not have risked himself for the woman, but perhaps she will aid them when they kill Scourge and Plugg.
Treggor slumps on the deck and slaps Badger on her back. "Ye picked a dangerous hour ta take a swim, lass." What almost starts as a laugh immediately becomes a cough as the old pirate coughs up water onto the deck beside. He stands and shakes the brine from his beard. "Best be stayin' on Scourge's good side. Or that 'twould serve as such, fer him."
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Triumphant, Jack laughs! He had dared it all against the elements and won. Gently though and when nobody else seemed to be listening he whispered something to Badger, "Glad yer alright lass. T'would been ashame ta have lost ya, especially ta Besmara's fickle wind."
Louder when Scourge cracked his whip, Jack sighed, "No rest fer tha wicked eh? See ya on tha flip side."
Badger smiles at the warm words from Treggor and Jack, when Master Scourge's shrill voice shatters the moment. She stares at him hatefully for just a moment, but then stands up, ready to do battle with the seas once more. The rest of that night she works like a woman possessed, leaving no one to doubt her worth on the ship.
The Press-ganged follow her example, and do what they can to keep the ship afloat. At one point in the night, Captain Barnabas Harrigan takes the wheel of the ship, turning one way and then another. And all the while he alternates between shouting out orders to his crew and singing a loud, baudy song about tavern wenches and their "clever tongues".
It is a night of Gozreh's fury, a true tempest. The winds howl, the waves slam, and lightning pierces the night with rumbling thunder coming too closely after. There are more than a few close calls, but the crew of the Wormwood shows its mettle with aplomb.
As the light of the sun begins to redden the sky, the worst of the storm's violence seems to have receded, leaving only a steady, but manageable, downpour.
In the morning, Captain Harrigan himself dismess the sailors who toiled through the night. Scourge has a look on his face as if he would like to keep the Press-ganged out a bit longer, but he doesn't dare contradict the Captain.
"Rest up, lads and lasses. You done me proud this day. Now take your leisure."
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Grizzle spends the day lounging around, and making small talk with the others, telling stories of his past at sea.
Shikyo will also rest and recover (he has 2 levels of exhaustion right now...)
Dieredon will rest all day, and then turn in early in the evening after rum so that he is refreshed for the following day's activities.
Likewise, Alfonso stays in bed all day and all night. The relief from work is welcome, but it gives him plenty of time alone with thoughts of home.