Kal wanders around deck for a bit, alternating between watching the crew and gazing out at the ocean wistfully. Eventually, he happens upon Barefoot Samms Toppin. "Oh, excuse me... I didn't know you were here. Hey, you're the one who goes barefoot. I've been wanting to ask how you manage it; I always loved being barefoot as a child. It felt closer to the earth, but my grandfather always made me wear shoes when we weren't in the garden. Now I doubt my feet could take it. Have you always gone shoeless?"
"I think you loosened a couple of my teeth with that haymaker of yours but no, I don't hate you. You were just doing what Plugg told you to. I'll be back in a bit."
"Ay, I am. Barefoot Samms Toppin's the name. Wearing boots just made moving around my home, the Sodden lands too much of a pain. So I never wore them and still don't see a reason to."
"Me am strong!" He grins holding up a bicep before you take your temporary leave.
"You're from the Sodden Lands? I traveled along the border, some time ago... it didn't look terribly hospitable to me. How'd you end up here?"
"You're back! With more stew!" Assuming you give him bucket o' stew, he grabs it and devours it.
"Ay. It's not a great place to be, what with all the boggards, lizardfolk, and shamblin' mounds. I left to find some prosperity as a fisherwoman."
"And instead, you ended up here." It is less a question than an observation, though there is still something of a question present. "I'm Kal, by the way."
Luthor seeing Opal relatively alone approaches her. "So what did you do before you got shanghaied by our glorious captain?"
Bjorkus takes his leave as Owlbear feasts.
"Enjoy the grub. Just think about what I said about friends next time Plugg tells you to hurt someone."
***
"Ay, never thought it would turn out like this. Earning three lashes for even a tiny mistake. Nice to meet ya, Samms is short for Samantha in case you were wondering."
Owlbear just scratches his head and nods. The big minotaur leaves for the deck to look for Maheem. When he finds him, he sees that he is a very large Rahadoumi man who just looks permanently angry. He doesn't seem to notice Bjorkus.
Bjorkus grunts to get the Rahadoumi man's attention.
"Why aren't you at the arm wrestling with Fipps? Seems to me you'd give him a run for his money?"
"Because he's a sore loser and I would end up getting Mr. Plugg's attention like you and your friends. I want no part in that. Honorless dogs."
Kal tries out the unfamiliar name. "Samantha... that's a nice name. I've not heard it before." He falls silent for a moment. The jungle-dwellers name their girls things like Hawa, Ni, Wasichana, Maandiko...
He looks over at her. "I had never imagined actually being out on the ocean... but then, I had never imagined being drugged and enslaved, either. Would you go back to fishing, if you could?"
"Bein' drugged and enslaved is probably the only way they get recruits. I would love to go back to fishing. Hells, I would settle for being the cook's mate. I can't cook worth a damn, but at least I can fish again. I'd be able to catch enough turtles for starters."
"You're more clever than I am", the bull minotuar said with a chuckle.
"Bjorkus", he offered along with a massive furry hand for a shake.
"How long have you been part of the crew?"
Still pouting a bit over her lost rum and feeling a bit like they were treating her like a child, Opal turns away from looking at the sea to talk to Luthor.
"Well, right before getting shanghaid, I was stuck working as a tavern wench in Port Peril. Not much other work there for a young girl to find. Suppose I should be glad I wasn't stuck doing worse after drifting into port."
The man eyes the handshake offer suspiciously before extending his own. "Maheem formerly of Manaket. I have been here too long, Bjorkus. Also known as three weeks."
"I've never understood the desire to cook things... why not just eat it as it came from nature? Not live, of course." he adds quickly. "I would certainly enjoy some fresh fish... provided you respect the water in your methods, and don't take more than we need. Who do we need to convince to let you do that instead of whatever it is they have you doing now?"
"Because most of us like not getting sick from our food. Unless they get tired of that Opal girl helping with their food, I'm stuck here I'm afraid. And that's not likely given how pretty she is. Doesn't hurt that she can cook too." She shrugs.
The bull minotaur shook the offered hand firmly before releasing it to turn and face the sea.
"That's a long time. Have you ever thought about what you'd do if the captain, Plugg, and his goons weren't around anymore? Is sailing in your blood or does your heart lay elsewhere?"
"Well at least you have skills, that stew was really good. All I've got is brute strength and a bad temper."
"It is a long time. I don't know, really. Maybe find a new partner to spend my life with and become a merchant. Don't let my size fool you, I have a head for numbers. But why would you talk of such things? Those are dangerous words around here."
"Well, brute strength and a bad temper seem like good qualities for a pirate to have. I really wanted to be able to follow in my father's footsteps, but I'm not much of a fighter though I do have some skill as a sailor and have some magic."
"Idle thoughts", the minotaur answered with a rumble.
"Partner? Did you lose someone before you were brought to the Wormwood?"
"Not when they get you a day in the sweat-box. What did your father do?"
Kal looks puzzled at the sickness-related comment, but shrugs. "I suppose. Hmm... I wonder... would they object if we started providing our own dinner? I would very much enjoy sitting in peace by the rail and watching the sun set over the ocean. What do you think?"
"Yes. His name was Manu. He was slain when he tried to fight off a thief."
"Couldn't tell ya. It would save the cheap bastards some, but they like their rules."
"Good point there. The sweat box doesn't sound very fun. As for my father, was a sorcerer and a pirate. At least he was until he picked a target even he couldn't handle. The other ship just happened to carrying on it some kind of wizard more powerful than him."
"Hmm... I'll ask Grok. I believe I saw some fishing gear when we were retrieving our personal possessions..."
Turning with a smile, Kal walks away to find the half-orc. Before he makes it twenty paces, he looks back at Samantha almost as an afterthought. "Oops. It is a pleasure to meet you, Samantha. I'll return soon, I hope." Still smiling happily, he heads toward the dining area.
"It wasn't I can tell you that. So magic runs in your family? Death by wizard isn't unheard of."
"Maybe she is a jadwiga then. It is hereditary right?"
"Magic and pale skin both it seems. What about your parents?"
kal heads down to the galley and hears a much different song being sung by Kroop and Grok.
"I'm sorry to hear that Maheem. I know you're people don't typically pray but I'll ask the Pirate Queen to help you find happiness. Who knows, maybe the Wormwood's management will change in the near future..."
The bull minotaur departed and spent the rest of his night watching the moonlight reflect off the sea and singing a mournful dirge in the northern tongue.
"My parents? My father was a proud Ulfen raider back in his day. At least until he caught a thief trying to steal from him. He was going to beat the thief into a better life until he realized it was woman. A Tien woman who he fell in love with. After that, he retired and they had me. I guess I didn't grow up to be like him. Instead I'm stuck as a swab on a pirate ship." And now that he mentions it, you can see a few non Ulfen features on his face. His lack of facial hair and piercing brown eyes are definitely out of the ordinary.
Kal shudders, trying to shake off the haunting melody, and enters the galley. "That's quite the depressing song," he remarks by way of greeting.
"Well, there's quite a few stuck as swabs on this ship. Maybe we will either get off of it someday or become actual pirates. Preferably successful and rich pirates at that."
"It is, for there is a storm brewing. I always get this feeling in the pit of me stomach when bad weather is going to hit."
"I really hope you're right. I don't want to die on this ship. Not with these sods. Not like Jake.."
Opal gives a little shudder. "No, I definitely don't want to go out like Jakes either."
"I'm sorry for bringing it up." Luthor takes out a flask from underneath a floorboard, takes a sip and offers it to Opal. "Don't worry, it's watered down. Still makes you feel a little better, but you won't relapse. I heard about your problem and you got some good friends. Better friends than most of us deserve."
Opal accepts the flask from Luthor and takes a couple sips from it.
"I still think that I woulda been okay. Though I guess you're right, they are turning out to be some good friends. I guess not everything about being on this ship is bad. Probably got more of a future here than back at that tavern. The owner kept trying to talk me into accepting offers from the 'gentlemen' that frequented the rooms upstairs. Likely I woulda either ended up whoring or on trial for murdering one those bastards."
Opal takes another sip and then hands the flask back to Luthor with shrug.
"I guess at least this way I'm on a ship and might actually have a chance at being a pirate."
"Yea. I suppose whoring and/or murdering would be a worse fate than this one, as long as you keep your head about you."
"Dad never said Jadwigas would be this nice. Maybe she isn't one?"
Opal looks about to make sure that no one else is in earshot.
"Well, I think this ship would be a bit better if Plugg weren't on it. Might actually be decent then."
"Well of course. But I think we're stuck with him."
"For now I suppose."
A few days pass by without anything unusual. Everyone does their jobs to at least minimum satisfaction, Chub's is still currently a swab with Opal as the cook's mate. However, after a day of heavy winds and rain, a storm well and truly hits the Wormwood on the eighth day. All of the crew is required in the rigging.
Opal is assigned to repair the rigging.
Kal as to work the line.
Bjorkus has to work the upper rigging.
Chubs is assigned to be lookout.
Luthor is forced to work the Mainsail.
Bjorkus finds himself working harder than ever as the storm picks up and, for the first time in days, he's had something other than his growing hatred of Plugg and his goons to occupy his thoughts.
The bull minotaur spares a glance towards his allies to see how they're faring and a flirtatious snort in Sandara and Tilly's direction when the opportunities present themselves.
Feeling rather comfortable out on deck with all the wind blowing against her, Opal feels more energized than usual as she goes about her job.
