Huffing and puffing, doubled over, hands on knees, Ortun finally emerges at the tavern. "What did I miss?" he breathlessly extols. "And how did all these drunks beat me here." he laments.
After being quickly caught up by his pathfinder friends, he walks up to Captain Lanteri. "As my elven friend said, I am Ortun, the best helmsman you shall ever meet. I accept this 1/16 share, provided that your vessel, the Magpie Princess, is seaworthy." Ortun glances at the bosun Yamtisy, nodding at her politely.
"A few things, Captain sir, one." Ortun holds up one finger, "I sign no contract until I read it. And furthermore, paper and pen are for the weak. If you are the captain that I have heard about, your crews hearts will bleed to the last drop for you no matter what scrawls they scratch on paper. Hells, most probably don't know their letters or I'll eat that parchment. But do no worry, if you wish to sign, sign I will.
"Second." he holds up a second finger. "You have to have some idea of what perils we shall face seeking the treasure, and no reason you cannot describe it with vagaries rather than specifics. Like Coatl's jungle, Soctares forest, Wenton and Setare's library, or even a gladiator arena for good old Jack. I won't push you Captain sir, but the more prepared we are, the better we can keep your salt dogs safe."
After scanning the document, Ortun signs and grabs a drink from Yamtisy. "To treasure!" he cheers.
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Unless you are hiding knowledge of a kraken or something of that ilk protecting the treasure then I am satisfied with you answer and appreciate the answers you have given my comrades also. I myself am not the best at being muscle, more partial to being the brains and medic of a group, but I believe as a team we will do quite well at what you require. I will read this and again presuming your honesty, sign it.
"Patzmiqui eat the kraken too! Ha!" Coatl laughs, hoisting his drink to Or-ta-un's toast.
The druid only takes a sip this time though, the recent crash from drunkenness still fresh in his mind.
"Seriously though Captain. How many other ship you think have the cojones to attack us and steal treasure?"
The Captain grins at Ortun.
It's not the paper and pen I care about, it's your word. Having a physical reminder of your word just helps me explain myself to the authorities if I gotta take care of you for breaking it.
The Captain sips at her mug of ale.
The main problem is our old Jinx-Eater, Hyrix Snowfeather. When I took over after my husband passed, he objected, and lead about half my crew in a mutiny. I subdued them, but he and several others escaped. Hyrix Snowfeather wants my head and my ship, and while I sent him licking his wounds, I have no doubt he'll be back eventually.
She sets the mug down.
Honestly, he's the one I'm most worried about right now. Everything else will depend on where we go, and we can take those perils as they come.
Socrates reads over the contract and can confirm that it's as legit as a ship's contract can get.
Any other questions?
The captain says putting her feet down.
Otherwise, I recommend you get some sleep. Your my crew now, so I paid for your boarding here for the night so you don't have to worry. We've got work to do in the morning before we can set sail... that mutiny I mentioned damaged my ship, and we gotta do repairs first.
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Aye Captain, to the morning. Socraties says amusing himself slightly with his base approach at some pirate speak bowing in the process.
He turns away to Setare, Come on deary let me help you to your bed, I will be back for anyone else that wants some assistance, once she is settled in. Don't count on this every night, today was a special day.
With that Socraties will help Setare to her feet and her room, settle her in however she needs help, congratulate her once again on doing so well at not only the drinking game, but also the race and the fight, then head back to where the group was to see if anyone else needs help and repeat the process for them, including the praise, no matter how successful they actually were. Once everyone else is in bed or deemed plenty capable to handle themselves he will take a few notes over the day's events and go to bed himself.
Hah! You think there authorities in the Shackles! I think authorities be the least of your worries in this part of the world lass. Either way, your terms are acceptable. To treasure! To Plunder!
Jack will decline to retire to his room, and spend a few more hours drinking in the bar. He will eventually retire to the floor, where he will remain until morning.
"Patzmiqui. Remember Snowfeather. If we see him we give him big hug." Coatl grins, petting the snake affectionately as it coils around him.
"Sleep good. I will help you fix ship tomorrow. Coatl has interesting relationship with tree wood. It sometimes does what I tell it to do. Magpie Princess has good wood bones. I hear her talk. We get her back together." Coatl smiles and exits the room.
The accommodations may not be the most civilized, being a pirate port and all, but even still they make the jungle native uncomfortable. Coatl disappears for a few hours, returning with a large bundle of palm fronds and other plant pieces. Rustling and odd banging can be heard for several minutes, followed quickly by the sound of soft snoring.
damaged my ship, and we gotta do repairs first
"What!!!" Ortun blurts out. "The Magpie Princess, is damaged." Ortun begins swearing in an endless string of profanities intermingled with some nonsensical words as his anger boils over.
"It is one thing to engage the enemy in a fight, but to damage the ship is more than I can take. Unforgivable." Ortun can barely catch his breath he is so upset.
After a drink or two, he turns once again to Captain Lanteri, "I know you think highly of your crew, and your coin is paying for my spear, but I do know my why around a ship and if you need a strong back I'd happily lend a hand. See you on the morrow, Captain sir."
Ortun returns to the festivities, mask doned over his face. He moves from one social gathering to an other in hopes catching the eye of young, comely ladies.
He wakes up alone and bit worse for wear, though many of the night activities seem hazy. Especially if he shared his bed or not.
Ortun wakes up to a rather pretty specimen next to him. It apparently was a good night.
As everyone filters down to the bar, thankful for Socrates hangover cure, they see the Captain again, her hat tipped back as she looks over ship blueprints with several other folks who can only be other crew members. She spots them and waves them over.
Hope your ready for some work crew.
She nods to another woman who stands next to her.
This is Iulia, my quartermaster. You'll be taking duties from her today.
The quarter master goes back to the group as the captain returns to talking with her crew. It's easy to hear that she's talking to them about replacement parts to pick up, rope, wood, ect.
The quarter master is a Raven-haired and foul-tempered, beauty, that much is for certain.
Alright fresh meat. Captain says your our bruisers and to save ya for the special missions. So, I got ya special mission.
She sets a sack down on the table that clinks obviously. Anyone who looks inside can see it's filled with gold pieces, about 250 of them.
When that bastard snowfeather tried to mutiny, he rammed the ship into a rock, and it destroyed the masthead. We need a new one... bad enough luck we don't have a jinx-eater on crew anymore, we ain't sailing without a proper carved masthead. So that's your job, find someone to carve us a masthead that'll make the captain happy, and get them to carve us one. This is all the gold I can spare. It needs to be good, but we can't do more than this, so if this won't do it, it's your job to figure it out. Any questions?
Headstones is a shop up the way with a skilled sculpture who runs it. Mostly likely would be the best person to ask
"Hi Lulia. You call me Coatl. Singing man calls me Jungle boy. You can too. Actually, call me whatever you want. You pretty just like Luna, except all opposite. Opposite hair, opposite of nice..." Coatl cuts himself off as he notices a sharp, stern look from Ortun.
"Patzmiqui and I saw a shop last night, Hartha's headstones. Bet they have a good one there." the druid raises his eyebrows and smiles.
"Oooohhh! We could have him carve it like big snake wrapped around branch. Back of snake coils up where it attaches to ship. Wait wait, here is best part. In middle of coils is magpie nest with empty crown in it. Patzmiqui! Carver can use you as model! This gonna be great!" Coatl titters with excitement, oblivious to whether or not the captain would actually want a large snake shaped mast-head.
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Coatl I don't think the captain will appreciate a snake on the headmast, though the nest idea isn't so bad. I agree, Hartha's headstones seems like a good place to start. socraties says to Coatl and the rest of the group, then turns to the quartermaster and adds. Lulia as Wenton said, do you know of any type of preference Captain would have for her headmast?
It's Iulia, not Lulia, you old codger. The quarter master snaps, but seems to reign herself in.
Magpie's and crows and royalty. Captain's taste's are pretty straightforward.
The team moves swiftly to hartha's shop, the morning sun lighting up Lilywhite rather beautifully.
Soon enough, they arrive. This small square building has no sign advertising its name or type of business, but the door and support posts are heavily carved with images of gravestones, religious symbols, sea
monsters, and sailing ships.
Siting out front of the shop is a rather burly dwarf woman who stands on a stool chiseling at a large wooden beam. In a deep alto, she sings while she works.
As the team approaches, she slows the song and gives them a smile.
Well met strangers. What can I do for you?
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Setare is so eager to help ... she steps forward.
”Su... such a nice so... song! We are he.. here to buy a re.. really proper carved ma.. masthead! Do you ha... have that?“ she asks a little too silently.
”We have a ne... new job and we... were asked to full fill this ta... task so that we wo... would be very grateful if ... if you could support us... us to create such a ... a beautiful ma... masterpiece you seem to be... be very skilled so I tru... trust in you of co... course!“ she says hesitantly.
Like the seas he calls home, Ortun mood has shifted once again quickly, violently, and for no reason.
"Powder is good, Socrates. I thank you for it." Ortun tersely thanks the elf. He is mostly silent on the walk over, glaring at Coatl everything he talks to his snake, mumbling under his breath.
Once they reach Hartha's shop, Ortun instantly perks up. He runs his hands along the carvings, examining the fine detail of the dwarf's craftsmanship. "Well met Hartha. I am Ortun. I am honored to steer many distinguished ships. These carvings." he pauses to collect this thoughts.
"You understand the wood like I understand the seas. When the waves are crashing and the current is pulling, and the wind is howling in all different directions, you must listen to the sea, hear what it is telling you. Quarter turn port, half a spin starboard, hold steady .... and if Gozreh is feeling charitable, you live.
What you do to this wood, you hear it, what it tells you to do. Shave a slice off here, hit the chisel harder there, and what is in your mind appears in the wood."
Ortun beams at the dwarf. "We come from the Magpie Princess, like the girl who drinks alcohol like we breathe air says. The masthead makes a ship beautiful, distinguished, announces to all that she is there and all must respect her. Can you do this? Can you feel the wood to make this? I believe you can." Ortun smiles a large, toothy smile at the dwarf.
Hartha looks at the two and gives them a begrudging smile.
Aye, I'm happy to take your commission....
She turns back to the sculpture she was working on and chisels while she talks.
Normally, i'd say two weeks to get it done... but I like the cut of your gib. I'll get it done for you in about a week.
b]Magpie's and crows and royalty. Captain's taste's are pretty straightforward.[/b]
"Well Iulia gave us some guidelines. You think that you can do that Master dwarf?" Ortun gives Setare a nod to encourage her confidence.
The dwarf nods.
I can give you something of that ilk, no problem.
As she chisels she looks at the group.
I'll see your gold now. I assume you have it?
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Socraties quickly slips between Setare and Hartha before she can hand over the WHOLE sack of gold.
Yes, we have our gold, what is the price?
While he says this he plays hands-y with Setare to push the gold back to her side as quickly as possible in an attempt to not let the artist know how much we have to offer. He then half turns to Setare and talks intentionally quietly, but knowing everyone else can likely hear.
I am going to have teach you the art of the deal later, especially if we are going to make good *cough* privateers *cough*.
With that he turns back to Hartha and biggest "this is embarrassing" obviously fake smile he can muster.
Jack hangs about in back, allowing Socraties and Setare handle the negotiations. He scans the crowd as he waits, keeping an eye out for any trouble. Never know what will happen when traveling through the city with a pouch full of gold. He smirks to himself when Setare hands over all the gold straight away.
Heh, I'd probably be cross with her if it were my gold. Looks like Socraties will give her a lesson though.
Lets hurry this up - I'm anxious to finish up being Lanteri's errand boy as soon as possible. Wanna get back to the ship and help with repairs and making ready to sail.
Excited to help in some way, Coatl wanders over to where a large pile of shavings sits, detritus from the work that the master craftswoman is doing. He gathers them up reverently until he has an armful before plopping down in a crosslegged position. Above him, Socraties expertly handles the naive Setare'.
"You know wood lady, you and me, not so different." he states, bluntly and out of the blue. "Except we very different. Wood listens to both of us, just in different ways. Or-Ta-Un say it good. Watch like this."
Coatl closes his eyes briefly, chanting in druid as he waves his hands over the discarded wood pieces. Suddenly the wood comes alive, writhing and moving as if it were growing. The grains of the wood fuse together and a rough shape begins to form. Coatl continues to chant and the wood hardens. Soft crackling can be heard as the grains fuse into their final place.
Smiling, Coatl opens his eyes and hands the small, palm sized statue of a stout humanoid, holding one hand to it's chest while the other is outstreched, much like the operatic singers from the stage.
It is rather difficult to tell if it is male or female, short human or tall dwarf, or what the shaped singer is even standing on. The edges are rough, with spinters that look almost like tufts of hair in places they don't belong. It's a wonder it looks humanoid at all.
"Ok, Coatl takes it all back. We nothing alike. You way better at this. You keep this anyways so you always remember Jungle boy. Dip in water and it might even grow mushrooms!"
The dwarf raises an eyebrow at the attempt at creation and shakes her head as socrates steps forward to wheel and deal.
Normally, i'd charge you 300 gold for this... but I like you, and your girl is a sweetheart. So I'll give you a discount, 200 and only one week to get it done. I can't do it faster than that for any amount of gold... though, I could always bump out one of my other comissioners if you'd be willing to do me a favor, use a base I'm already working on.
She taps the wood and continues.
This is a special kind of wood, only grows in a certain area of the forest here. It weathers the sea and takes to the tar better than almost anything else i've seen... but a couple of drakes have set up shop in the forest near where I get my wood, and the loggers who work for me won't go near it. Clear out the drakes, and I'll have your piece done in 2 days. Otherwise, you'll have to wait the week. Your choice.
Eyeing his new companions, Ortun purposefully puffs out his chest. Drakes are nasty creatures, but if it will enable your artistry to flourish, I see no reason we cannot try. Fortune favors the bold, right Setare?" Ortun gives the squirrely woman a wink.
"My vote is yes."
I'm anxious to get back out onto the sea. Clearing out a few drakes seems a small price to pay to make that happen sooner.
"Or-ta-un right. Drakes nasty creatures. We convince them to move somewhere else. You get special wood, captain get her masthead in 2 days, everybody happy."
Coatl smiles, content that they can do something actively to help move this little treasure hunting mission along. He produces a thin grey mushroom from a pouch on his belt. It appears soft and wrinkled, with long lines of fins underneath the cap. The cap is tall, like a withered wizard's hat and bends slight at the top. For such a small mushroom, the aroma is strong, giving of a waft of heady, woody smell.
"This good luck mushroom. Good for wood. Good for new wood, old wood, and dead wood turning to new wood. Gift for you."
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What can you tell me about this forested area and your loggers and anymore particulars about what kind of drakes? How far away is it? Depending on the details of your forest, I am inclined to make a counter offer, that we will clear out your forest of drakes AND bring a cartload of your wood back for you, if you can do the masthead for 100gp.
What do I know about the forest.
What do I know about drakes/these specific ones if she has more info.
If you want a diplomacy for my counter offer.
Hartha thinks about it.
Wood to replace what I'm already working on... it would be handy... Alright, I'll pay you in reduction of price for lumber you can bring back. But you better bring it back in good condition, and only proper grown trees. She warns.
Socrates knows that this forest isn't particularly large, but the island has rich soil that has allowed the forests to grow strong and tall anyways.
From the description, the drakes are most likely River Drakes, dangerous and territorial beasts. They are known for moving at a astounding speed, and hurling blobs of caustic vomit at anyone who manages to stay out of the reach of their claws. It'll require a skilled tracker to hunt them down.
Coatl lets out a dramatic gasp when Socraties explains that the beasts are likely river drakes.
"River Drakes." He spits. "Patzmiqui and Coatl know all about river drakes."
"They move crazy fast and spit blobs of acid vomit if you stay far away, and shred you to pieces if you get to close. It'll require a skilled tracker to hunt them down. Good thing Patzmiqui and Coatl are best trackers you ever met."
Coatl puffs his chest out, hooking his thumbs into his breeches. He rocks back and forth on his heels a few times, a half grin on his face.
"You never meet Mtawi from Bloodcove right? Ok, yea, Coatl best tracker you ever meet then."
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Socraties turns to Coatl and tries to encourage him, while also offering what help he can. Coatl I am glad we have you, I can track, but not very well. If you it will help you I have some
Turning back to Hartha, We will be happy to help and hope to be back swiftly.
With a courteous bow Socraties heads for the door. Once outside he says to the group. Alright let us find a cart and donkey right quick and we can head out to this forest right swiftly. We can use the gold from the quartermaster and once we return they can use the donkey and cart for bringing repair supplies to the ship and if they don't want to keep them always sell them back for a few more gold than we are already saving them. Everyone ready?
"You really smart." Coatl smiles at Socraties, staring deep into his eyes.
After a few moments, heavy and uncomfortable moments, have passed, Coatl adds.
"I bet Luna like you. She smart too. You pretty good with money too, maybe you should hold mine? I'll think about it." The druid nods his head before spinning on his heels and heading out to help look for a donkey.
Ortun listens to the others share their thoughts and experiences before he adds in, "I have done a fair bit of tracking in my day, but drakes can prove difficult as they take to the air. It is possible to see their nests in crags, or their kills by river beds. I will do my best to help out."
How far out will we be traveling? Should we provision up for a few days mucking through the wilderness? And everyone make sure ye have a way to fight from range. The number of useless jim lads that I've had on my ships that couldn't handle even a crossbow...
Jack trails off, an annoyed look on his face.
Whenever everyone's ready, lead on jungle man!
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Socraties turns to Jack with a thoughtful, but also playfully judgmental look.Well I hope your not counting on me to do anything significant to those drakes myself, but just because you requested I will get myself a few javelins, just in case
While finding the donkey and cart Socraties will pick up 5 javelins and stuff them into his handy haversack. -5gp
Based on your performance at the bar last night, I don't expect you to do much at all in any fight. But you provide some nice background music while Jack and Seltare crunch some noses, so you're alright by me. Don't hesitate to slip a dagger in someone's side if you see an opening while we have em' distracted though. Preferably not mine though.
With some time Coatl leads the crew to the river in question. The trail you follow ends a little up stream of the rocks that Coatl says are the drakes nest. Three of the beasts sunbath on rocks, sharp teeth glinting in the sky. The river flows at a rapid pace, and you fear that it may be to swift to swim in unless you are a very powerful swimmer...
The drakes currently lounge on the rocks, though one of them lies mostly in the water.