No'bu nods at the others, as Mad Zak does the introductions. "Guess I wasn't the only one to take a beating tonight, huh Mouser? I'm surprised he turned on you so quickly...what with your affinity for climbing that rigging. It'll take a few days to heal from it, I know from experience."
After dinner, he approaches the dwarf. "Pleasant bit of hog tonight. You'll be the Captain's favorite in no time, if you keep turning out dishes like that. I'm No'bu," he adds, extending a hand to the fellow newcomer.
During Dinner:
"...So then I sez, 'That ain't me peg dearie.'" Jarkul is not above laughing at his own punchline. In fact, between a haunch of ham and the company, he seems quite merry.
After Dinner:
"Jarkul Pitchlegger, at yer service" The dwarf squeezes the hand with gusto. "Aye, it were a tasty piggie sure. Though I'm afeared we may be supping on hardtack most nights given the state of this ship. And if his 'lordship' be trusting me, then he be a bigger dullard than I first figured." He picks a bit of gristle out of his teeth with a finger, looks at the morsel a moment, before sucking it clean. "Being stuck in that hole, I'd nary a chance to mark the winds. What course be this tub setting?"
Terz looks up and smiles at Zak's affectionate rub behind the ears, "Too much of that and I'll start to pur." He looks about, "Mouser? Boat like this is probably riddled. Call me Lux I'd rather be in the rigging catching falling priestess. Mad Zak has the point of it though. Were stuck best to watch each other's back. Lux enjoys dinner and the company though he is destined to turn in early as tired as he is.
"I'm certainly not ready to trust those scallywags that drugged me, threw me on this boat, then whipped me, that's for sure. Count me in with watching out for the rest of you sorry lot. I don't look like much, but I've got some tricks up my sleeves," No'bu says with a strange grin.
"Count me in, my loyalties do not lie wit' the Captain, or his lackeys. An' while I do not know you all, 'tis better to have rocky allies than certain enemies." Akadi still seems amused by the situation.
"Akadi, by the way, though call as me as you will."
Zaketta guffawed at Jarkul's joke and merrily clinked her mug against his.
"A fine tale, Barbecue! And an even finer meal! If you keep cooking like this, I'm not sure I'll ever want to leave this tub! And between the bunch of us, I don't see how anyone is going to make us."
Zaketta offers a conspiratorial look at all of her new friends before whispering more:
"It's too early to say much of it, but... methinks this is a ship that might benefit from new leadership, eh? Now's not the time to act, of course, but when it comes - can I count on you lot?"
"Like I said...I've no love for this crew! If the beatings come less frequently with new leadership, we'd be all in."
Lux's eyes go wide and he coughs at Zak's brazen talk of the "m" word. "You don't skin the fish till after its out of the water. Though I do imagine such a fish to taste quite sweet." Lux scans the eyes of his consirators gauging if the picked on his concealed agreement.
"Aye." The dwarf nods grimly, keeping his voice low. "Even those who've been serving a time are nay contented. Keep a keen eye for that what might we use as weapons when the time's right."
"TOOLS" his eyes scold Jarkul for his open talk. I will be burying this lot if they don't mind our place. A few against many. "Aye many, tools . . . for honest work can be found. Some folks call those clubs silly lubbers." He points to the wooden rods used to secure ropes along the rail.
"Who knows what else might be needed for work round here. I am sure there is a batten hammer someplace. Can't lock down the hatches without it and if we spring a leak." Judging from the way he points with his eyes and looks back and forth between you all. His casual words are not really what he is saying. As it should be clear to those directly engaing him he is pointing out weapons in a pinch.
The Wormwood is a three-masted sailing ship, 100 feet long from stem to stern, and 30 feet wide amidships.
Before you turn in, you are required to gather for 'bloody hour' to witness the keelhauling of Jakes Magpie, a pirate caught stealing from the quartermaster’s store the night before. After a brief interrogation at the hands of Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge, Jakes admitted his crime, and is now brought up from the bilges to be slowly keelhauled after the evening meal.
Jakes is slowly dragged beneath for just over a minute what appears on
the other side has been cut to shreds and is soon thrown overboard to feed the sharks.
Before you are allowed to turn in Mr. Plugg oversees the passing out of the rum ration, which you are obliged to drink.
Perception
Fort save
If No'bu is able to talk with any of the others outside of the rest of the crew's ears, he nudges them to get their attention. "You see the fury in that bastard Plugg's eyes? He's a maniac, that's for sure. He's one to watch out for..."
Lux nods, "That he is. Curious they would make us drink the rum." He sniffs it and looks puzzled a moment and drinks it.
"Drowning the poor sod o'er a stale bisquit? No wonder they're reduced to barroom hijackings." Jarkul watches the whole affair, grinding his teeth in indignation, then turns to Mad Zak, removing his bandanna and holding it over his heart. "Might'n your reverence say a few words for the bugger?"
The dwarf takes a stab at answering the cat's question. "The blighters want te steal our wits fer the night so as we don't be getting ideas. Or it's downright poisoned." He downs his cup in a single swig.
"well, that was most unpleasant. An' I not sure I want more of the Rum, my head's still not recovered from the last lot."
Regardless Akadi drinks it down, rather than risk someone trying to force it down her.
Zaketta watched the grim spectacle of the keelhauling with a stony face. She approved of strong discipline on a ship, but this seemed too much - especially for something as trivial as theft. At Jarkul's show of piety, Zaketta gave an approving nod, and handed her own cap to the dwarf to hold as she muttered a short prayer for Jakes.
"You've seen your last horizon, you pitiable swab, and now the crabs will feast on your bones. We wish you luck in the great briny deep and the seas beyond our ken - may you join the Black Lady as she raids the pits of hell and the spires of heaven."
Zaketta pressed her two knuckles to the side of her forehead briefly - a Besmaran holy gesture - then took her hat back from Jarkul and settled it back on her head.
...
"And it's a waste, besides," she confided to her new friends over their rum rations. "Killing off your crew like that is what leaves you short-handed... which, like Jarkul says, is probably why they had to shanghai us in the first place."
Seeing Jarkul's impressive feat of drinking, Zaketta attempted to match him by tilting her mug far back, and draining it one quick swallow... though she coughed loudly afterwards, and took a few minutes to catch her breath again.
"That's vile stuff. You must have a cast iron stomach, Barbecue."
The crew turns in aside from the night watch.
Sleep: Go to bed early and sleep through the night
(automatically recover from fatigue)
Gamble: Play or gamble on a game of chance or pirate
entertainment (see page 67)
Entertain: Make one Perform check to entertain the crew
(see page 67)
Influence*: Attempt to influence a single NPC
Sneak*: Take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC
can take 20 on a single Perception check or other skill
check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered
(see below).
Steal*: Attempt to open a locked door or locker. The PC
must make a check to avoid being discovered (see below).
Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a
job’s daily task
Influence: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and
attempt to influence a single NPC
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and
briefly explore one area of the ship (the PC can make a
single Perception check or other skill check with no chance
of detection)
Shop: Take a –2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task
and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9)
Shirk: Take a –2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task
and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can
take 10 on a single Perception check or other skill check, but
must make a check to avoid being discovered (see below).
A young human woman by the name of Sandra Quinn introduces herself as a cleric of Besmara before you all turn in. She is friendly and mentions remembering Zak more than once in the various pirate taverns of the sea.
Hearing of wagers being placed, Jarkul joins in the action. He may not have much to his name at the moment, but is confident that a small loan or two and a little luck will turn things about in no time.
Between whatever task Fishguts sets upon for him, the dwarf takes in the lay of the ship, trying to identify the number and responsibilities of those enforcers who had backed up Scourge on that first morning.
Terz nods to his new allies and makes his way to a place to sleep.
No'bu, getting his sea legs underneath him, felt pretty good about his first day. The other press ganged crew seemed a solid lot. There was even a priestess of the Pirate Lady amongst them. Buoyed by this, he decided to try speaking to the new cleric of Besmara, finding out more about her.
He attempted to exchange histories with her that night, hoping she might be another friend on deck.
Charisma bonus
Diplomacy
The next morning, he decided keeping his head down would be the best way to go and tried his best to perform his duties to the very best of his ability, working as diligently as possible.
Profession Sailor
Night
Akadi decides to have wander around the ship, keeping an eye out for weapons and other useful supplies
+1 from guidance if possible.
If discovered will try to talk her way out if it, laying on the seduction pretty thickly if it seems likely to help.
Day
Provided she's not caught, Akadi will try to find time to get to know the newly discovered Besmaran
+1 from guidance if possible.
The evenings entertainment turns out to be
bouts, such matches are usually conducted on a barrel top
covered in broken glass, knives, or caltrops. Participants
make opposed Strength checks, with the higher result
determining the winner, and the loser taking an amount of
damage equal to 1d2 + the winner’s Strength modifier as his
hand and arm are pushed onto whatever lies on the table.
Akadi's search turns up
Harkul's investigations in the galley give him a firm grasp on the supplies and stocks.
The galley is the domain of Ambrose “Fishguts” Kroop, the drunken ship’s cook. The cramped and chaotic kitchen holds two wooden worktables, several wooden cupboards, and two small stoves against the port wall, as well as virtually every cooking utensil imaginable and a frightening array of meat cleavers. A score of chickens and three goats wander freely throughout the chamber; the goats are meant to be caged, but have a distressing tendency to escape their bonds. The kitchen is a madness of dirt, food, and knives, and finding anything in here requires a Perception check. The stoves are perpetually lit, and large cauldrons bubble away atop them all times. A huge array of spices mingle with barrels of rainwater, two tons of rum, cupboards full of ship’s biscuit and salted beef, barrels of sauerkraut, and a small supply of fresh vegetables picked up in Port Peril. Despite the chaos, the entire galley functions as a set of masterwork tools for Profession (cook) checks.
Several items of value are lost among the ruin and squalor in the galley;
a masterwork dagger being used as a butcher’s knife, a pair of handaxes used as meat cleavers, 11 knives, a short sword, a vial of holy water, a good lock hanging unused off a pantry cupboard, 2 pounds of soap, four waterskins, a barrel of poor wine, six bottles of good Chelish brandy worth 20 gp each, three bottles of magnificent rum worth 12 gp each, a large cookbook worth 125 gp (using the tome while cooking grants a +1 circumstance bonus on Profession [cook] checks), a prosthetic leg made of wood and edged with a silver band worth 45 gp, and 12 sp fallen behind a cupboard. In addition, a trio of harpoons, a spear, and Kroop’s steadfast grapple hang on the walls.
Today the swabs are being given a variety of duties:
Akadi is on Manning the Bilges with Sandra Quinn and Arietta Bansion.
Nobu is swabbing the deck with Rosie Cusswell and Crimson "Cog" Cogward
Zaketta is on Rat Catching duty with Jack Scrimshaw and Fipps Chumlet.
Terz gets to enjoy lookout duty solo on day two.
Jarkul is in for an interesting day with Ambrose.
Mere seconds after the bell summons the crew for the midday meal, four pirates—Aretta Bansion, Fipps Chumlett, Jaundiced Jape, and Slippery Sy Lonegan block your path on the stairs up to the deck, "In a hurry?" Lonegan snarls barking out a laugh. He pushes No'bu in the chest. It's clear this group is looking for a fistfight. The rest of the crew loiters around the stairs to watch.
Str. check The orc excelled at the physical work. Swabbing the deck was one of his specialties. However lunch proved to be a more challenging matter as he went nose to nose with Slippery Sy.
"Not in a hurry, but what if i was? You feel like dancing, Lonegan? I've fought better'n you in my day." No'bu balls up his fists and prepares for an attack.
Initiative
Akadi struggles with the days work, the bilges test her body to its limits, and she ends the day fatigued and worn out.
Raring to vent some pent up agression. Jarkul challenges Mr. Plugg to arm wrestling "Come on, lets see how ye fare in a fair contest ye pantywaisted scoundrel. Or be ye yellow?" His words hang in the air, clearly intended to make the fellow lose face for refusing. (If Plugg isn't there, he instead challenges Scourge, If neither are, he challenges one of the sap wielding goons from the first day instead.)
Over the ale, Jarkul asks Fishguts. "So what port did ye hail from afore ye ended up on this sorry excuse for a buoy?"
Jarkul barks a laugh of his own at No'bu's response, then stares down Aretta, Fipps and Jape.
"I'll wager your boy Sy's bitten off more'n he can swallow. Ye best not be getting any funny notions o' outnumbering or I'll be forced ta thrash the lot of ye."
Lux keeps a weather eye out from the crow's nest.
Terz hisses and then addresses those who have stepped out, "I would tell you that we don't want to trouble but I would be interrupted by the sound of Jarkul and Mad Zak stoving your faces in."
Akadi let's the warriors talk it out but she'll throw into the fight should it break out.
-1 if fatigue has kicked in already
Jarkul is able to track down one of the sap wielding thugs from earlier. He is able to beat him but just barely.
Ambrose responds,
"Eh that's a tale for another time when I like ya more or I'm more drunk."
"I think you need to learn your place lubber"
Knowing that talk is cheap and these wags weren't worth another breath anyway, Jarkul grabs for the swabbie's arm, attempting to twist it back behind him. "Have at em lad, I'll assure that these hangers be not in yer way"
Reacting more quickly than Sy, No'bu takes a poke at him. "Take a punch in the eye, Sy," he rhymes as he swings.
Attack
Damage
Catching up post - a little rp lite (sorry!)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Zaketta's "Rum Check"
Night: Influence Rosie Cuswell (using Tap Inner Beauty and Guidance for an extra +2)
Ratcatching: Survival (extra +1 from Guidance)
Day: Influence Giffer Tibbs
(using Tap Inner Beauty and Guidance for an extra +2)
Zak chortled at Lux's quip.
"I like the cut of your jib," she said, as she wound up and threw a punch at Jaundiced Jape that landed squarely on his jaw.
Attack:
Confirm:
Damage:
Terz squares off with Branson.
Terz lunges forward with both hands trying to force Bandon back.
Akadi Whispers to the winds and they flock to protect her.
As the pirates reel from the blows.
Fipps feebly fails to fight Jarkuls grapple.
Akadi is able to dance by the fighters.
Each pirate failing miserably to land a returning blow.
Jarkul swings his peg around at the back of Fipp's knee, trying to force the swab to the ground.
"Stay down lad, if ye know whats good for ye." The dwarf shifts to sit on top of the poor sailor's back
Akadi continues to whisper and kicks one of the Pirates in the rear (Sy if possible, take advantage of Jarkul's Freebooters Bane).
No'bu attacks Sy again. "I'm going to black your other eye, Sy!"
Attack
Damage
Zaketta takes another swing, but trips over some rigging lying nearby, ruining her attack.
Attack:
Terz presses his advance.
The toughs try once more to defend themselves.
Fipps tries to push back Jarkul,
Succesfully scrambling out from under Jarkul.
Aretta Tumbles into Zaketta landing on top of her, Aretta begins giggling at the absurdity of the situation.
Jape and Sy both scramble up to deck trying to flee the fight.
"Cowards the lot of em. Fun as this was, its roused me appetite, and the lunching hour be upon us. Come along me bucko." Jarkul tries to grab Fipps by the ear. Whether successful or no, he then saunters up decks.
Sy wasn't getting away scot free, so the half Orc swung at him as he turned to flee.
Attack
Damage
He then followed the dwarf toward the deck. "Thanks for havin' me back, there, Jarkul. If you need help, just yell.". He turns to the others as he moves. "And thanks to the rest a ye as well. Saved my bacon back there."
Terz laughs as they go, "Keep running."
You are Zaketta and Aretta untangle themselves and head above deck along with the others. Fipps is able to jump out of Jarkul's reach at the cost of falling down a stairwell further below deck.
Akadi helps Zaketta and Aretta untangle and then goes to check on Fipps, making sure he's not done himself any serious damage.
As Fipps sullenly accepts Akadi's help they are late to return to the deck. Mr. Plugg assigns three lashes for laziness to both Akadi and Fipps.
After the morning briefing, No'bu makes a point to hiss at Sy. "I'll get me shot back at you, Sy. Bwenge will have you before it's all said and done. When you least expect it," the half Orc growls under his breath.
Despite the pain, Akadi stands defiantly for her lashes, not smiling but showing amusement in her eyes and stance.
Rolling her shoulders afterwards she struggles to stay her tongue, deciding that getting more lashes isn't worth any comment she could make.
After the punishment was doled out, No'bu made a point to speak with Akadi. "Thanks for helpin' me out against those bullies, lassie. I'm sorry you had to take a beatin' for me. I'll repay you. That's my word."
"Ye don't reward the wind for blowing, or the waves for crashing. Ye just have faith it'll keep doin' it."
Nontheless Akadi gives No'bu a nod as she's eating.