Rosanne gives Jacques a cynical smile, "Because to them it's their goods. We want it we pay for it. Just more wonderful leadership on this fecking ship!"
She glances around carefully before leaning in and whispering. "There must be plenty aboard how are just as unhappy with this ship. Lets try to make some more friends."
Sandara chuckles at Rosanne's offer to pay her back for saving her life and gives her an appraising look. "Perhaps if we are ever off this cursed ship." She assures Tobias that she is not that hurt . "Besmara saw fit that I should keep a scar for helping earlier. But I would not have what few allies we have die. We must find as many as we can if we are to survive these cruelest of pirates."
Aretta sees Jacques spilling his drink and alerts Scourge instantly. "Another one who won't drink the Captain's generous ration?" Scourge says and grabs Jacques by the scruff of his neck. "You're already up for the lash for fighting today, and now for refusing the rum ration. I think your days here are numbered." He releases Jacques and stalks off back to the Officer's Quarters.
As the previous night there are games and gambling after the rum ration and Kroop's slop.
Cnut - ?
Jacques - ?
Rosanne - ?
Tobias - Influence (Sandara)
As Tobias leaves the Besmaran cleric to her evening, the young sailor hears the now-familiar barkings of Mr. Scourge. Once he gets back on deck, Tobias gets the scuttlebutt of Scourge's latest rant. The young man walks over to Jacques, face in a scowl. "Dammit, Jacques!" Tobias huffs under his breath.
"We nearly lost Rosanne to that tick-on-the-scrotum-of-humanity, and now you get caught spilling your grog, too? Grog is delicious! I was raised on the stuff! I'm sure as $h|t tired of seeing friends getting bloody for no damn good reason!!"
Jacques is dispirited by his failure to feign drinking the rum ration, and decides he had better go to bed early to avoid any more confrontations and to recover from his earlier exertions.
To Tobias, he mutters "We will survive, mon ami, and pay them back a hundredfold for each lash, each scar, and every indignity to which we have been subjected."
Feeling very punch drunk with two doses of grog in her gut Rosanne nods goodbye and heads downstairs for the rest of her hammock. "Right you are Jacques." She agrees. "As I was told this ship is poison! Best we make a few friends for the day scores are settled."
Feeling a bit more talkative now that he's had a bit of rum, Cnut wanders the crew area, looking for someone to talk to. He almost literally stumbles upon Rosie and smiles down at her.
"Whoops, didn't se you there, little one. Good thing I didn't step on you. That would've been a mess, wouldn't it? Hahaha" he stumbles off, not seeming to realize that he's offended the little person.
"Watch where you're going you big hairy oaf! The world is full of more than humans!" Rosie it seems is offended by Cnut and it will take effort to undo the offense.
The night winds down and eventually all the pirates are in their hammocks sleeping away peacefully, dreaming of booty, sharks, and sticking swords in their enemies.
The ship bell wakes the crew from their dreaming and the scramble up the stairs and ladder is without issue today. Everyone arrives on deck well before the bell stops ringing. "Perhaps we'll get this ship running smoothly for once." Scourge comments as he and Plugg give job assignments.
Rigger - Rope Work - DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
Swab - Swab the Decks - DC 10 Strength or Constitution check or be fatigued.
Swab - Rat Catcher - DC 10 Stealth check, Survival check, or Dexterity check.
Cook's Mate - Bull Session - Drink an additional rum ration, but is able to take an additional ship action during the day.
Cnut is set handling the ship’s ropes, including coiling them, stowing them, and securing them to cleats and single and double bollards.
Jacques is set to backbreaking work mopping the decks and scrubbing them with sandstone blocks called holystones.
Tobias is set to catching rats and other vermin such as cockroaches and beetles belowdecks.
When Rosanne gets to the Galley she finds Kroop already drinking heavily and with one to give to her. "Ahh Rosanne! Sit and have a drink with me! Tell you what, when I was younger, before i became a cook, I served in the army..."
Swab - Ratcatcher
Daytime Ship Activity - Work Diligently
Tobias's day below decks was challenging. Clearly the person who was ratcatcher last didn't do a good job. Despite some setbacks, the young sailor had many dead rat carcasses and squished bugs.
"Suns over the yardarm somewhere."
Rosanne shrugs and downs the booze. She knows that producing a poor meal will only add to her troubles so makes an effort to cook something edible.
She keeps Fishguts talking and listens to anything that might be helpful.
Rosanne decides to avoid the harsh sunlight while her head pounds and again searches the galley while cleaning and organizing it.
Jacques rises feeling better and steels himself for another horrible day on board the ship.
He works diligently swabbing the deck.
= pass.
Everyone works hard today and receives only a few shouts and insults from Plugg and Scourge.
Everything manages to go well in the Galley, even without Kroop doing anything to help. At one point Grok comes in to talk with Kroop and helps out a little, even if that is just to hand Rosanne a tool or two. Searching the kitchen in your limited time you actually find a large cookbook worth 125 gp .
When the ship bell rings again and the day's sailing is over, Scourge calls all the crew over and calls out excitedly, "Gather round for the bloody hour! For fighting yesterday morn, 3 lashes each will be given to our newest recruits." Each of you are grabbed roughly and led to the main mast to be tied for Master scourge to whip. He doesn't hold back at all in his efforts. Rosanne and Tobias feel close to falling unconscious. Jacques is left for last and once it is done, Scourge whispers to him menacingly, "Don't forget, there's still 6 more waiting for you tomorrow."
After the Bloody Hour, Kroop staggers up with dinner and Grok goes around handing out the Rum Ration. The Captain and the other officers retreat to the Captain's Cabin for dinner.
As before there are games and gambling and much talking before bed.
Cnut mostly shrugs off the lash, though he's careful not to actually laugh at Scourge.
Tonight, Cnut chooses to try his hand at throwing the greased ingot. Because why not? No sense going to bed early *every* night.
Rosanne slugs her grog down without too much effort. 'Please don't be getting used to this swill.' She thought morosely, back aching from another lashing.
With all the grog she's downed that day, and the lashing Rosanne says her goodnights to her fellow press gangees, gives Sandara an inviting look and heads for her hamock.
Tobias drinks his grog with no issue. Upon observing most if not all his new crewmates going to bed early, Tobias follows suit, and gingerly takes a hammock.
Nighttime Ship Actions - Sleep.
Jacques decides to join Cnut at gambling. Perhaps we can double our chances at silver, or at least get to know some of these others, he thinks.
Hog Lob
Crimson Cogward, Jack Scrimshaw and Tilly Bracket are taking turns throwing the greased up ingot across the deck. Cnut and Jacques walk over and Jack invites them to try. "It's not as easy as you think. Give it a go." The ingot 'hog' is covered in a piglet skin and slathered in grease to make it very slippery.
"Let's make it more interesting." Cogward says. "Care to bet on who can throw it the furthest?"
Jacques murmurs to Cnut before they engage that he has 50 silver they can split. He thinks Cnut looks likely to win, though cynically he suspects that at least one of their opponents has practiced throwing a good deal.
The other three look between each other and seem to agree. "Deal!" Jack Scrimshaw says. Everyone put 25 silver into a small pot for a total of 125 silver pieces for the winner .
"Ready? We'll go first and show you how it's done."
They don't seem to do too well, the 'hog' proving its slipperiness. Jack sends it the furthest with a thrown distance of 12 feet. "Let's see what you got?"
Jacques narrows his eyes, watching them carefully for trickery. When it is his turn he scowls and gives Cnut a look like "I'm counting on you."
To the other three pirates' surprise, Jacques and Cnut both throw further than any of them, Jacques throwing it 18 feet and Cnut falling just short of him at 17 feet. "Beginners luck!" Tilly declares, but they give the pot of coins over to Jacques without argument. "A bet's a bet. Toss again?"
The ship bell wakes the crew and the standard rush for deck ensues. The weather is getting a little hotter but nothing overbearing. Mater Scourge and Mr. Plugg give tasks to the swabs and riggers and sends Rosanne to the galley to see Kroop as usual.
- Rigger - Rope Work - DC10 profession (sailor) or dexterity.
- Swab - Swab the Decks - DC10 strength or constitution.
- Swab - Hauling Rope and Knot Work - DC10 profession (sailor) or strength. DC10 constitution to avoid fatigue.
- Cook's Mate - Bull Session - No rolls required, additional rum ration and additional daytime ship action.
Cnut is set to handling the ship’s ropes, including coiling them, stowing them, and securing them to cleats and single and double bollards.
Jacques is set to backbreaking work mopping the decks and scrubbing them with sandstone blocks called holystones.
Toby Is set to tying and untying knots in the ship’s ropes and moving heavy coils of rope from one part of the ship to another.
When Rosanne gets to the Galley she finds Kroop already drinking heavily again and offers her one. He doesn't have a task for her today, insisting he is on top of everything. "Ahh Rosanne! Sit and have a drink with me! One time at my restaurant before being stuck here there was this fine woman..." He drinks and talks all day, amazingly preparing the meals without running it. It is just a simple stew after all.
Cnut is finally getting the hang of the rope work on the Wormwood. He works all day, humming rowing songs from his youth up north. I'll say one thing for this land. At least we don't have to dodge icebergs.
Rosanne sits and joins in the bull session with Fishguts, working on getting him on her side.
"So tell me about those restaurants you worked at. What's it like working there?"
Once again she tries to search the galley for anything that could be useful.
And finds that she's not handling the grog as well as she thought.
Swab - Hauling Rope and Knot Work
Although Tobias did his knot work admirably, Mr. Scourge's tender mercies from the night before took it's toll on the young sailor throughout the day. Despite this, Tobias was determined to turn the day around. Despite his exhaustion, the young sailor would sing as he worked, working hard to keep a song in his heart.
Throughout his day, Tobias would work alongside fellow swab, Tilly Brackett, often singing his work shanties and making small talk with the dark-haired beauty.
Daytime Ship Action - Influence
Sometime shortly after the ship had gotten under way and the crew settles into their jobs, Jakes Magpie, who had been assigned to the Bilges today, rushes up on deck, climbing the ladder in a hurry to report to Mr. Plugg.
Jakes face is ashen and full of fear. "Sir, something big swam out of the bilge water and bit me on the leg. There's so many. It's not safe to work down their."
"Not safe to work? Ye bloody coward."
Mr. Plugg looks around at the crew before singling out Cnut, Jacques and Tobias to come before him. "Special assignment. The bilges are infested and you three are going to start earning your proper place hear by clearing it out. Go find that Cook's assistant too to help."
Jacques decides today is finally the day to visit the quartermaster. But first he must swab the deck.
Rushing to finish leaves him tired and grumpy. Well, grumpier.
Rosanne is surprised but shrugs and obeys. 'If he worried more about the ship than being a b+&@& it wouldn't be in such a state.' She sighs in a low voice.
Tobias looks at the fear on Jake's face, then to Mr. Plugg.
"Weapons, sir?"
Jacques speaks up. "How big was it, the creature that bit you?" he asks Jakes in his deep, resonant voice.
Plugg looks at you darkly, perhaps regretting giving you the assignment, perhaps wanting you to go to the bilges unarmed. "See Grok!" he growls.
Jakes is unable to tell Jacques anything helpful. "Something bit me then I ran, I saw ripples in the water and I didn't stay to find out."
Once Rosanne is told of the assignment, you four go to see Grok. The Quartermaster's Store is a storage room on the opposite side of the Galley and Grok sees you walk over as her door is slightly ajar. "What do you four want? Up to more trouble? I thought you might have had enough of the lash by now?" She looks at you all questioningly.
"Mr. Plugg has assigned us to deal with a nasty infestation in the bilges. He sent us to you for weapons, ma'am."
”I’m less worried about weapons than armor. Do you have any?”
She bends down and unfastens a wooden chest while she talks, taking out a few items. "Hmm, I saw Kroop grumbling about a ruined allotment of grain we got cheaply from Port Peril. Probably rats or mice. Do ye wanna bash their heads or cut 'em off?" She says laying out a number of saps and plain daggers for you to choose from. "Ye better return them once ya done. These are a loan."
"Ye need armour for a few lousy rodents?" She mumbles something about how things were done when she was younger while she opens a different wooden trunk. She has studded leather x3, MW leather, chain shirt x2, breastplate, banded mail and a dozen bucklers.
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Tobias quickly looks through the armaments offered.
"Miss Grok, these are lovely weapons and armor, but I feel I would perform this task far, far better, if I had my original rapier and armor. May we please use the armaments we know so well that are in the lockers. Please?"
Rosanne will take a dagger just to look as if she's planning on helping. Wondering why Toby isn't trying to bribe Grok? So far he's pissed off everyone he's tried to charm.
Jacques's eyes flicker sideways to Tobias, and he waits to see if his charm has any effect on the quartermaster. If it doesn't, he considers offering her money to "buy back" the equipment that the pirates stole from them. I cannot buy back everyone's weapons, it is unfortunate to say, he thinks.
Grok grunts at Tobias' request. "Your equipment? Everything on this ship belongs to the Captain. I suppose you can use the things yer most familiar with." She puts away the daggers, saps and closes the armour trunk. Opening another wooden chest that has all of the gear that was taken from you, she hands over Jacques' rapier, Toby's cuirass and rapier and buckler, Cnut's scale mail and bardiche and Rosanne's dagger. "Those rats better be as large as Kobolds."
Tobias smiles as he put on his armor and swipes his now-unfamiliar rapier in the air. The young sailor purrs, "Oh! Daddy missed you!"
Jacques buckles the rapier to his belt and draws it carefully to make sure it has not been damaged. Wordlessly, he nods to the quartermaster and turns to proceed with the group to the bilges. I will deal with the purchasing later, he thinks. Once we have dispatched these vermin. His mind dwells briefly on the similarities between the command staff and the presumed rats they have been sent to kill.
Rosanne shrugs, takes her old dagger and follows the others. As in she makes very sure she's not the lead. :)
Cnut makes eye contact with Rosanne, indicating the dagger she'd given him, and his intention to trade it for his gear. She gave this to me. Only fair to clear the trade with her.
Rosanne nods in agreement. Keeping the fighter of the gang equipped was a good idea to her. "Good idea."
With your personal weapons and armour on loan, it doesn't take you long to get strapped in. You head down to the lower hold and the trapdoor to the bilges. The trapdoor has been left wide open by Jakes. As you peer down into the darkness below you hear nothing except for the creaking of the ship on the ocean and the distant din of the pirates far above. You see the dark brackish water that covers half of the bilges 'floor', several broken crates and straw and mud in one corner, the bilge pump that Jakes was in the middle of working and 6 manacles attached along one of the bulkheads (the bilges sometimes double as the brig). Only a few ripples disturb the water's surface. It's impossible to tell if its made by something in the water or from the natural motion of the ship.
"Well, lady and gentlemen, if I can get sight of this creature or creatures, I can cast a spell to make it or them highly visible, hopefully allowing us to end it quick", Tobias offered.
Rosanne waits until out of sight of the other crew and casts Mage armor on her self.
Jacques watches Rosanne, a bit surprised to see her cast a spell, and one that he is familiar with. He nods respectfully at her, and turns to Cnut. "I have these heavy bludgeoning weapons if you would prefer one of them to a knife, mon ami," he says quietly.
Cnut looks around for other crew. Once he's satisfied that the group is alone, he grits his teeth and changes form, growing hairier, and sprouting a bear's teeth and claws. Once it's finished, he scratches the back of his head. "That never gets any less painful." he says, his voice a low growl. "Let's go."