Half an hour goes by and then Rickety comes walking into The Commons, right up to the captains of The Fury and begins, "Look, sumtin' ain't right. I got a look out that should have spotted Pegsworthy before he came in...flags and all that...Lyle Godwin can be counted on. I'm worried now and I was hopin' you might be able to go out to the lookout tower and see if you might find out what is going on with him. Worried a wasp might have stung him. Lad was good with a weapon, so I trust him against a wasp...but he still might be hurting...If you help me, I'll drop the price another 100g."
Indrana seems rather indifferent to the fate of the man, but interested to relieve her boredom now that the fighting is over, "I'm game if the captains agree to it."
Could be wasps that stung him, could be another naga attack for all they knew. But earlier Maera had been fighting to see how far they count stretch their funds - if they took the 300g that was left over, plus the 500g discount they were so close to rapid-deploy sails. Another 100g discount, and Maera would damn well put forth the reminder needed herself.
"How far away is the lookout tower? I don't mind a bit of a walk to clear my head," she lies smoothly, as she's not touched a drop of drink. "But I wouldn't ask it of everyone, not after the spat with the wasps earlier," she adds, thinking with consideration for Aramis and Amos.
"I'd be willing to make the trek. Good ol' nature and seein' what's out there on this island. Good for the lungs and the legs." Despite having consumed a good deal of alcohol, the dwarf seems ready and willing to go 'exploring,' as it were.
Aramis glances sidelong at Amos, eyebrows raised to silently ask if he feels up to it. "Well, I'm in," she says decisively, shifting slightly and checking her chest wound. "Been in worse shape'n this. An' a walk might do me good."
The group follows the directions as followed and find a group of boars rooting around in the trail and they are easily able to spook the hungry animals, leading further up towards the look-out post and a large, colorful parrot flies down to sit on a random tree branch and caws, "Shoo, fly, don't bother me!"
The dwarf slowly pulls out his axe and begins slowly looking around for the missing lookout.
"Hello? Anyone here?"
"Don't it take a long time fer a bird ta pick up such things?" Aramis mutters, extending an arm towards the parrot. "'Ey, where's yer master?" she asks, pulling some dried biscuit from one of her pockets and not really expecting a response. She shrugs her musket into her free hand, trusting Diabolito's keen eyes.
Amos follows where his captain lead. He really had no desire to meet those bees again, but he better get used to following her lead and the best way to do that was by following her lead.
"It's supposed to take some trainin', but they're smart creatures. You hear anything enough times it'll still in anyone's brain." She purses her lips, worriedly. "Lyle Godwin? Rickety sent us." she calls, approaching the tower. If the man was sick or in pain, she didn't want him lashing out at them by mistake.
"Shoo, fly, don't bother me!" The bird lifted off and took off towards the watchtower.
The group is lead to the watchtower where they find several broken rum bottles at the foot of the tower and a rope ladder hangs in the tower leading up to a wooden platform. The rustling of feathers and a caw followed by another, "Shoo, fly!"
"Lovely," she mutters dryly, viewing the scene. "Didn't realize I had been cast in some other bard's horror story."
She toes at one of the bottles, seeing if the clink and clanging stirs anything or anyone, but there's nothing but that bloody bird. With a 'I'm going to regret this' sigh, Maera starts up the rope ladder. Better her than someone who's already been injuried this day. "Lyle Godwin?" she tries again.
"Shoo, fly, don't bother me!"
The scene that Maera finds is nothing pleasant, to be sure.
She finds the twisted remains of a rope hammock and a few scattered items of clothing. Lying beneath the hammock, with one boot on and the other lying across the floor from it, is the flyspecked corpse of an elderly man. He is recently deceased, and one side of his neck is black and swollen to the size of a melon. A dried ring of foam cakes the man’s beard and mustache around his lips. The parrot flaps over, alights on the corpse, and squawks again, "Shoo, fly, don't bother me!"
After hauling herself up to the platform, she draws closer to inspect the body, making a gentle attempt at shooing the bird away, and there's no way he could still be alive while looking like that. "Oh, you poor bastard," she murmurs sadly, and calls down to Aramis. "Looks like a wasp got him. He's dead, Captain."
She closes the man's eyes. "Well, maybe we got the one that done it, old-timer. You put up a hell of a fight."
Aramis curses and spits on the ground again. "Damn bugs. D' we bring 'im back, or let Rickety decide?"
"I think we should bring him back, they may wish to give him some kind of funerary rights." Indrana sounds very sad by what has happened to the man, more than would be expected for someone she never knew.
"Aye. Hopefully there's a Besmaran or a Gozren priest on this rock somewhere. Proper funeral and all that. Bad way to go...Not even on the water." The dwarf too seems saddened by these events but he keeps his weapon out regardless.
Maera listens to Indrana, and nods in agreement. "Here, give me a hand with him, would you, Doc?" she asks of their resident sawbones. Pushing the body towards the edge as much as she can, she casts her eyes around with any clothing or blankets they could use to cover the poor man's face, lest there's squeamish people in town.
The dwarf takes a look in his pack, taking an old, weathered oil cloth cloak and draping it over the body. He shakes his head slowly. "Poor bugga...Neva had a chance..." Diabolito shakes his head.
"Gozreh give and Gozreh take."
As Maera looks around, she finds a morningstar that has a bit of wasp ichor.
There are a couple of blankets, and flags throughout that would make for an easy cover or a handheld gurney.
"A'right," Aramis agrees, shouldering her musket. She shakes her head with a sigh. "Ne'er a dull moment 'ere, is there?" she mutters to no one in particular. "Guess Rickety'll know wha' ta do with 'im... an' th' bird," she adds.
The bird flaps over to Aramis when she looks to him and he lands on her shoulder. "Shoo. Let's fly."
The dwarf just smirks. "Looks like you've got ya first fanatic there, Cap'n."
He then tries to hide the chuckle forming at the dark humor of the situation.
With Doc's help, they rig together a gurney to carry the body, and wrapped in Diabolito's oilskin he should be easy to bring back now. As a finishing touch, Maera puts the man's weapon in his hands, like the Linnorm Kings do before they burn their dead in boats. Satisfied, she gives the bird on Aramis' shoulder a curious look, and even finds a little smile at the dwarf's jibe.
"Aye. The bird seems to know just what to do with himself."
Amos follows and helps out where needed. He doesn't say much. Near death experiences do that too him. He just makes himself useful and takes other's places on the harder tasks, especially if one of the captain's is doing something strenuous.
"Guess 'e c'n recognize good comp'ny," Aramis chuckles, glancing to the bird on her shoulder. "Ah well. Let's get back ta Rickety. Give 'im th' bad news." Her face turns grim as she looks over the makeshift gurney.
Diabolito just nods as well, moving stray pieces of underbrush out of the way, as best as possible. Every so often, he looks back at the body and shakes his head before continuing forward.
The group returns to Rickety and the look on his face is clearly not very thrilled with the overall situation, shaking his head slowly. "That...that is too bad, I'm sorry to hear that." He runs his grizzled hand over head and gives a sigh. "Alright folks...feel free to keep ol' Rotgut, that bird seems to have bonded with your captain over there," he says with a nod to Aramis. Reaching to the body, he picks up the heavy spiked mace and waves it a moment then tosses it over to Diabolito. "You look like the one that could best use this...Lyle always said it was magic...thought he was full of it..."
**************
Late the next afternoon, the crew of The Fury, Rickety, and Captain Pegsworthy are all gathered near the dry dock with Rickety grinning broadly.
"Ship's ready...all we needs a blessing..."
Pegsworthy steps forward, a bottle of Sargavan wine is smashed into the keel of the squibbed ship. "Good Fortune and Sure Sail await what one can crack the Tidewater Rock"
Tidewater Rock is a small castle that commands a small, protected harbor on a remote island south of Motaku Isle. It is said that anyone who can claim Tidewater Rock as her own will have good luck, as the castle makes a strategic watch point from which one can strike the nearby shipping lanes.
The dwarf looks the mace over and gives it a practice swing.
"Much 'preciated, Rickety! I'll keep it well."
The dwarf then watched the wine drip off the ship, before it mixes with the water. He seems satisfied that the fish get the alcohol, even if he doesn't.
"Rotgut, eh?" Aramis muses, exchanging a glance with the parrot. "Well, far be it from me ta refuse 'is fine comp'ny." She gives Rickety a nod and a small smile. "Much obliged."
The next afternoon, she can't help grinning as Pegsworthy smashes the wine on Fury's keel. "Fin'ly, she's truly ours!" she laughs, genuine mirth on her face.
Maera gives a deep sigh of satisfaction, perhaps seeing it as yet another small step to fulfilling her oath, and fondly touches Fury's keel with pride.
"I've heard that phase before in ports. Never heard of anyone ever succeeding," she says, looking to Rickety and Pegsworthy. "So, has anyone ever cracked the rock?"
Giving a chuckle and a shrug, "Most Freecaptains don't give it much thought, as they are usually too busy to try an assault...."
Maera smiles and nods politely, but privately files this information away nevertheless. They're not Free Captains; not yet, anyway, and given enough time any rock is crackable. Though, what a way to make a name for yourself. Still, first things first.
"She might be born again as Fury, but she won't be on her maiden voyage for long." She smirks. "We'll get her blood soon enough."
"I've been monitoring Nissa's health these past days," she says quietly, of Fury's third Captain. "She's stable... though improvement is slow. I'll going to check in again, but we might have to be prepared for the worst." She frowns, hating to say this even if it's the truth. "The crew and tide won't wait for her. We'll have to call a council."
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Not having had a chance to learn as much as he hoped about the local area, Cassius nods at the assembled group after hearing some of their reactions and attempts to buy favor with their new parrot companion with a few bits of bread he pocketed for the occasion.
"Speaking of blood." He said to the Freecaptain. "Is there anything you can tell us about who might be prowling around the area once we get underway? I've recently just freed myself from being press-ganged for a few years, who and what is on the water now...I just don't know."
Making a purring sound, "So, our ship has been formally christened the Fury, excellent."
The dwarf smiles and looks around his new weapon, noticing a similarity between it and the necklace around his neck. He strokes his beard slowly as he ponders the similarities and smiles as they mill about after the christening
"Now all it needs is first blood..." the dwarf licks his lips and stretches slowly.
"As Maera said, it'll be soon enough," Aramis chuckles, jostling Diabolito's shoulder. "Nothin' 'oldin' us back now," she sighs. A grin crosses her face as she glances back up at the ship. My ship, she thinks proudly, feeling Rotgut's claws grip her shoulder through her jacket. Our ship.
As the captain voices her concerns, Aramis curses under her breath, glancing out to the open waters, to the cries of the gulls and the smell of brine. "Ah were 'fraid a' tha'," she sighs, running a hand through her hair. "A council it is, then. Don' s'pose Doc'd be able ta look after 'er proper on Fury?"
After consulting Doc and the local healer, it is decided, very firmly that Nissa can not be looked after on the ship. "I'm sorry, Captains, but she requires magic outside my abilities. It will require some divinity to cleanse her of this malady...and time at this point. If there was someone we could trust that was more powerful, then perhaps, but it exceeds mine and Sandara's abilities. We will have to either stay in port for weeks...or leave without her. And it is uncertain if she will ever be her old self..."
That night, the ship sits in the shallow water outside of Rickety's, still within the safety of it's harbor, the crew able to start settling into the ship leaves the officers to their own devices to discuss what is going to happen heading forward.
Sandara approaches the lot of them and smiles, "Despite the problems that have befallen us, we have managed to make a little home for ourselves...but now it is time to decide what our next move is..." she pauses briefly before continuing, looking from each of them to another, but mainly focusing on the two captains that are on board. "With our new captains in place, we have a lot of opportunities that we could take...but we should know our direction before we set sail tomorrow...so what are we to take...hunt a few merchant ships? Or perhaps attack some of the more isolated locales on the coasts? Hunt other pirates? What is the plan, boss ladies?"
Seeming somewhat troubled at the thought of attacking merchants and villagers, Indrana collects herself and, though nervously, speaks her mind, "I understand that piracy does these things, I accept that I signed on to this crew with that knowledge and intent I would, however, ask that we be as merciful as possible with our victims. If they fight then they will suffer the consequences of doing so, but I think we should avoid any unnecessary killing. While a reputation for mercy might make us seem weak to other pirates, it will encourage our victims to surrender and save us manpower we might otherwise lose. I would also recommend that we not take everything they have, by leaving them something, they can rebuild and generate new wealth to come take again." Not sounding so resigned as she goes but more thoughtful by the time she finishes she adds, "However, if other pirates decide we are easy prey, well, then we will just disabuse them of that notion their, complete slaughter and destruction is more than acceptable." When she finishes, she sounds absolutely vicious.
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"Yes, I was! I've heard that you've made your way across The Shackles over the years and there are few that have seen as much as you." He said as he pulled his map out showing it to the man. "I am somewhat of a researcher on the old Cyclop ruins that scatter around here, and I was hoping to find one and explore its depths! I was wondering if you've seen anything in your travels that might have been of interest.
"I was enslaved for over two years." Cassius said with a dark look on his face. "It's not a life I would wish on anyone. If we find any of those who are pressed against their will on a ship. I would like for us to at least consider dropping them off somewhere safe. I'm more than happy to affect that out of my share of any profit should it come to be."
"Also...the reason why I came to the Shackles. Was because...believe it or not, I was a researcher of the Cyclop ruins that dot the islands here. I am working on a lead and a map now...I'm not sure how it will pan out. But we might have a chance to find a great deal of forgotten treasure, or if not information we could sell back to the Pathfinder Society. They tend to ask few questions but pay very well."
Amos just shrugs. Where my Captain leads, I follow. Well, I do have to insist that we not raid the common folk, but that is my only condition of employment.
The old man lead Cassius away after the christening, but before the evening call to board the vessel.
"In my youth I was one of the Pathfinder Society. I had to travel all over creation and back at the whim of the leadership, but in the end, I did find myself with a great deal of knowledge and many friends...and even more adventures to talk about. I have since settled down here...but every now and then, I have to head out of town to clear my head." He pauses as he leans against one of the few trees in town and rubs his eyes slightly. He is not a young man, this is clear, but he does not look as old as his companion whom Cassius had spoken to at first.
"I am Argus Arthfell...though around here they just call me The Sage, or Sage...so I have no doubts people just ignored your searches for me...they aren't the sort. Which leaves me a lot of freedom to do as I wish," the old man gives a wink. "Also, since so many people come through this town, I get loads of information...but...you, you want information on cyclopean ruins, eh?"
The old man reaches into a satchel at his hip and pulls out what looks to be a compass with an odd marking on it. Popping it open, it is clearly an odd sort of wayfinder and Cassius easily realizes the symbol is the Mark of the Open Road, a Pathfinder Society marking...and this is likely one of their special wayfinders. "I don't have much need of this anymore...and I have made some adjustments on it. If you are within a few miles of a cyclopean ruin that has not been pillaged, then this should detect the magic of something within and point you in that direction. Do not be too surprised...as I don't know exactly how it will react, but it is yours...on one condition..." the old man says as he holds it out towards the swashbuckler.
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Listening patiently and nodding at Argus's explanation. They do seem to be...a rougher sort. He says when he mentioned the town's citizens.
"I had thought to join the Society...but I didn't get the impression of very much interest while I researched in the Lodge about the Cyclopean ruins. I didn't quite want to leave it be...in-case someone had beaten me to it. Cassius's eyes go up when he sees the compass and he reaches slowly for it. "Certainly. What do you need?"
"Clearly, a strong and inquisitive mind such as mine is looking for one thing...information. I want you to take notes and bring me back at least one item from any ruins you happen upon. My weary bones may be a bit too tired to travel out these days, but you can be my," he pauses and looks at Cassius, "Yeah, you'll do as my researcher. Then we can eventually have our own journal about these ruins!" The older man practically cackles at that as he tosses the wayfinder over.
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Cassius nodded enthusiastically while catching the compass. "Certainly! Hopefully there'll be something out there that remains undiscovered. I don't suppose you have any rough starting suggestions for a location likely to contain some ruins? We'll be shipping out again sooner than later, and if I can suggest a course that might bring us close to any islands...maybe the compass will pick something up. It'll be a sight better than wandering aimlessly around."