Grizzle goes to town on the drinking, and isn't adverse to a bit of wrestling. He isn't very good, as he is quite close to stumbling overboard.
Dieredon busies himself drinking some strong drink and sticking close to his comrades. He is sure not to drink to excess.
Dieredon enjoys his well-earned revelry. And afterwards, he sleeps the sleep of the dead.
***
Shikyo knows that not drinking will earn him enmity, but he also wants to keep his wits about him.
With all of the flowing alcohol and excitement, no one notices as Shikyomaru stays sober as a nun.
***
"Thankee Captain, if tha fates be kind, I'll be putin' this ta good use plunderin' us a merchantman."
The captain bellows with laughter, "Aye, that you will, lad. I've no doubt."
Later Mad Jack and Badger celebrate in their own way.
***
Treggor engages in unbridled revelry and generally raucous behavior, drinking and wrestling as is his recreational custom. But he doesn't drink perhaps as much as he'd like others to believe.
Treggor manages to easily fools the other pirates into thinking he drank his fill.
He also stops around to see Rosie and bother her for some magic. "Say lass, have ye any remedy fer me wounds? I be a bit more 'n sore." He says with a rum-heavy chortle.
Rosie chuckles good-naturedly. "Sure'n I play a mean fiddle, but I ain't no bard, friend. How's about I play you a song instead?"
She plays a fun little ditty, and later Sandara comes over and casts a cure wounds spell on Treggor and gives him a saucy wink.
***
Grizzle goes to town on the drinking, and isn't adverse to a bit of wrestling. He isn't very good, as he is quite close to stumbling overboard.
Grizzle takes on all challengers, but is a definitely off his game since he seems to have hit the grog a little too hard.
***
Before Jack gets lead away by Badger for an ahm religious ceremony he tries to gauge the mood among those allied to Plugg. Of course with Badger looking at him like that, it really was terribly hard to concentrate!
It's hard for Jack to get solid read on Plugg's allies other than an increase in hostility.
At dawn, a few hours after the celebration finally winds down, the ship’s bell sounds, calling all hands on deck. When the crew is assembled, a long line of captured officers and sailors from the Man’s Promise is brought on deck and paraded before the crew.
Captain Harrigan addresses the captives first, offering a place on the Wormwood’s crew for any who want to throw their lot in with pirates. Several of the Rahadoumi sailors step forward; Master Scourge cuts their bonds, and the sailors take their places among the Wormwood’s crew.
Harrigan then turns to address the Wormwood’s crew.
“All right, you scurvy tars! You’ve done a right good job by me—we’ve got a second ship now, and she’s quite a prize from the looks of her. But I still have only one crew. So here’s the plan—the Wormwood will sail on to our planned destination with our new shipmates here, while Mr. Plugg will pick a skeleton crew to sail the Man’s Promise to Port Peril, where she’ll be worth a pretty penny as salvage."
“As for these fine fellows here—” Harrigan gestures at the remainder of the captured ship’s crew—“some of them will no doubt be worth a hefty ransom from their families back in Azir. And for the rest, if the life of a pirate’s not for them, they can spend the rest of their lives at sea!”
To make his point, Harrigan grabs one of the Rahadoumi sailors and throws her overboard to the accompaniment of cheers and laughter from the Wormwood’s crew. As the unfortunate woman sinks beneath the waves, many of the remaining sailors scramble to swear their loyalty to Harrigan. The officers are led belowdecks and the crew begins to disperse to their daily tasks.
Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge pick out several of the Wormwood’s original crew, telling them to be aboard the Man’s Promise within 10 minutes to set sail for Port Peril. The Pressganged are chosen to join the skeleton crew as well, and Scourge smiles evilly at them as he picks them.
Sandara, Rosie, Badger, Jack Scrimshaw and Fishguts are also selected as part of the skeleton crew.
Grok looks shaken up at being split up from Fishguts and even has some tears in her eyes. But she makes a point to ask the Pressganged to take care of her friend for her. And then she offers them a gift.
"It's not much. But here take these. They're from my personal supply."
Shikyo nods at the Quartermaster
Dōmo arigatō. Much thanks. he bows slightly to the half orc.
Shikyo then collects his things and heads to the Man's Promise
As Shikyo boards the ship, the parrot Pluck lands gently on his shoulder.
"Raah! Kick some ass. Kick some ass. Raah!"
Shikyo scratches Pluck's head.
Dieredon smiles at the Quartermaster.
Thanks.
He gathers evrything and follows closely behind Shikyo.
"Thankee Grok!" smiled Jack. He left whistling a jolly tune, and helped Badger pack what little possessions she had. He of course was dressed and ready. Looking unreasonably happy he followed the others onto the prize boat.
Of course the real reason he was happy was the prospect of Vengeance on that scurvy swab Mr. Plugg. The odds on success had just got a whole boat load better...
"Hah!" Grizzle says, taking his stuff back. "How I've missed ye lot!" He jumps aboard the Man's Promise, heading immediatly for the crow's nest. Despite his earlier protests, it seems to have grown on him.
Treggor smiles at Grok, saying "I thank ya fer yer kindness as we lot found our sea legs a bit aginst are volunteerin. We'll be meetin again afore long, by my figuring." He gives her a hearty slap on the shoulder and makes his way to his locker to pocket his gold and other possessions. It's a bit of an armful, but he doesn't waste any time getting aboard the other ship. He almost forgets his lock, but Grok made him pay for that, and by the gods he was going to keep it.
Grok actually gets teary as she says her final goodbyes to you and to Fishguts. But all things must come to an end. And so it is that the Pressganged grab their gear and board onto the Man's Promise.
***
Once aboard the ship, the Pressganged are assigned to the Crew Berths, along with all of their friends except for Sandara and Rosie. They are assigned to the Officer's Quarters, where Plugg and Scourge have their most loyal.
As the Man’s Promise sets sail, acting captain Mr. Plugg and his first mate Master Scourge gather the crew together to inform them that although this is a new ship, the rules are the same, though discipline on the Man’s Promise will be a good deal harsher than on the lackadaisical Wormwood—all crimes are now punishable with the cat instead of the whip or the rope.
All of the crew keep the same jobs they had before on the Wormwood, but they will have to work a good deal harder, as the crew is smaller.
Grizzle is assigned to Mainsail Duties.
Treggor is Manning the Bilges.
Dieredon is going to be fishing.
The other Press-ganged are swabbing the decks.
Shikyo mops the decks, and is exhausted afterwards.
Jack wasn't best pleased with his lot thinking, 'Ugh dumb luck having to scrap with these awful Hellstones.'
Mechanically he attacked the deck with the holystone and made good time mopping up after. The work was tiring but Jack was no worse for wear. The grudge he was carrying however grew that little bit deeper.
Treggor set about his work in the bilges, by now familiar with the kind of labor Plugg and Scourge preferred for the seasoned pirate. Just as well, he was prepared to deal with the next fool that meant to pull a knife on him away from the others.
Dieredon works diligently at the nets.
<-- Success
; Failed. One level of exhaustion
Grizzle fights the mainsails all day. He does admirably, but it is tiring work with less people to pick up the slack.
As night falls, the sails of the Wormwood disappear over the horizon.
New First Mate Master Scourge assembles the crew of the Man's Promise at the Bloody Hour. And the Acting Captain Plugg addresses the crew.
"Good evening, crew. I am not a man who believes in petty luxuries. And so therefore, there will be no more rum rations. No more songs. Or games. In fact, anyone caught above decks after dusk without leave gets six lashes--with the cat."
At this there is an audible intake of breath from the crew. The Cat o'nine tails isn't like a rope bash or even a whip. The cat o' nine tails has metal beads that render flesh, leaving cuts that scar. And six lashes can potentially be deadly.
"You all have done--adequately today. And therefore no one will be punished. At least, not yet. Now go eat. Tomorrow is another day."
Fish stew is then served.
Shikyo is biding his time....
Grizzle rests, getting his nights sleep.
Treggor begins to stir up discontent among the more neutral crew members.
"Seems are 'mister' Plugg an' 'master' scourge be itchin' ta scar some backs. Can ye stomach such a bloodthirsty pair? Mark my words, one of us dogs'll run afoul of 'ere moods afore we make port, and there'll be an impromptu burial at sea."
Dieredon gets a full night's rest, removing any fatigue from his fishing efforts of the day.
The pronouncement of hash discipline aboard the boat caused more than a few eyebrows. Jack held his tongue during the Acting Captain Plugg's address more interested in how the crew where taking the news than whatever fantasy was going through Plugg's depraved mind.
Later that night while they prepare for sleep, Jack notes privately, "Acting Capt'n Plugg eh? He'll be coming fer us, he jus wants an excuse. Mebbe we should do sommat abut him eh?"
Your other allies look uncertain, but there is definitely a growing unease in their eyes. And while they all share your concerns about Acting Captain Plugg, but no one is saying the word "mutiny"--yet.
The next morning the Pressganged wake up to be given the exact same duties as the day before. And First Mate Scourge seems to be reveling in the look of misery on anyone's faces.
The ship has changed course and is now heading east.
Treggor works hard to keep up with the day's duties, not noticing too much amiss from the depths of the bilges.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Dieredon works diligently again today at the nets.
Shikyo works diligently and is exhausted at the end of the day.
Jack is woefully unaware of the change of course for he is filly absorbed by the day's back breaking chores. He works diligently finding himself near exhausted, but he comes from tough line and there's fight in him still.
During the day, Grizzle realizes that the ship has changed course and is now heading east.
<--
<--
Despite the distracting information, Grizzle buckles down and gets the job done.
Grizzle, when he has a spare moment, finds Jack. "Ships movin wrong way." He mutters. "Somethin's upl"
<--
***
That evening, at the bloody hour, Shikyomaru is called out by Master Scourge.
"You were slacking today, lad. Put the whole crew in danger, you did. And for that, you gets two lashes. Now, do you accept your fair and just punishment?"
There is a look of pure maniacal glee in First Mate Scourge's eye as he lovingly caresses the cat o' nine tails in his hand.
Shikyo snarls at Scourge Anata wa kyō watashi no niku o kusatta buta ni suru koto ga dekimasu. Ashita watashi wa anata no atama o motte ikimasu.
and he moves forward to accept his punishment. The only thoughts in his mind are those of revenge and murder.
Shikyo's hands are bound with rope around the mast, and a piece of leather is placed in his mouth.
"So you don't bite your tongue off," Scourge glefully explains.
Scourge winds up, and lets fly with his cat.
<--
<--
The strikes are powerful and accurate. And they leave tiny cuts all down his back that immediately begin to bleed. Shikyomaru stays on his feet, but it is a struggle.
Sandara helps to untie Shikyomaru and escorts him below decks with the help of some others.
Once everyone is safely away from Scourge and Plugg she casts some healing magic.
Sandara takes a deep breath and wipes some sweat from her brow. She appears a little winded from expelling so much magic so quickly.
"Besmara be praised. He could have killed you."
Yes, Dieredon follows.
"Outrageous!" thought Jack, who watched the proceedings with ill-disguised contempt. He did what he could to help the Tian man hobble below deck and was heartened when Sandara called on Besmara for healing. "Aye and fer what?! T'waint for tha saftey o' tha crew! Nae next time he'll kill somebody, unless..." He looks his fellows in the eye, the hour for vengeance was getting close!
Treggor nodded at Jack in grim agreement. "Best ta be countin' ar allies."
Then he looks to Grizzle. "Ye say we be headed in 'a wrong course? That Mister Plugg be the backstabbin' an plottin' sort. He'll be sellin' us all ta Asmodeus, else just as good."
If we can just get him slone for a bit, we can make our move. A true mutiny.