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On deck, Karsh'e continues mending lines. Occasionally he glances out at the sea.
Karsh'e scans the horizon. Seeing nothing unusual, he resumes splicing lines.
"Thank you," Karsh'e says quietly to Jacen. Then the half-orc returns to his duties, mending on the foc's'le. He doesn't sit in the shade of the rail like before however. Now he stands and drapes the fabric over the rail so that he can glance occasionally into the depths or out to the horizon.
Karsh'e picks the boy up and carries him into the foc's'le. He nods to the cook. "Fished this one out of the sea. Captain said to get him in shelter. " He gently lowers the boy onto the deck of the galley in a corner. Then he goes below to get some blankets. Some blankets go on the deck. The boy gets rolled onto them and another goes on top of him. Karsh'e turns to the cook again. "It would be a kindness to feed him."
"Thanks," Karsh'e can tell Escher now rather than just wave.
Karsh'e treads water beside the ship. When .Escher lowers the rope, Karsh'e waves a brief thanks, grabs the rope. He swings his legs up to plant his feet against the hull. Then he tries to 'walk' up the side of the ship while pulling himself upward using the rope.
Karshe reports the castaways words back to the ship, yelling, "He said saw wagon." Then he grabs the rope hanging conveniently in mid Sir. He turns his attention to the half elf. "Just relax. We're going to get you on the ship. I need to loop this rope under your arms." Once the rope is secure. Karsh'e shouts for the crew to start slowly reeling in the rope. The half orc swims alongside and works to help keep the half elf's head above water. At the ship's side. Karsh'e tries to fend the half elf off the ship's side until he can no longer reach. Then he waits patiently for his own rope to climb up the side.
"I can swim. My village is surrounded by marsh and lakes. Throw me the line once I'm there." Karsh'e straps off his gear except for a knife. The half-orc steps unto the top of the rail and jumps toward the driftwood raft. Then he strokes toward the raft.
Karsh'e carefully places his work aside and gets up. He spins slowly to look, hands held above his eyes to shade them from sunlight, over the bulwark at the castaway.
Karsh'e spends the rest of the journey struggling through mundane chores assigned by Mr. Greene. The half-orc bears it all patiently. Today Karsh'e is on the forecastle, sitting in the shade of the leeward rail, mending and splicing lines. It's something Karsh'e does to Mr. Greene's actual satisfaction, because it's very similar to mending nets for fish weirs back at home. While he works, he quietly recites The Green Dragon's Lay in orcish.
Karsh'e ponders the importance of flags while he returns his combat gear to his pack.
Karsh'e comes back on deck dressed for a party that's apparently not happening.
An imminent fight is not a difficult conclusion. Karsh'e hurries below deck to get his weapons.
Karsh'e stares blankly at Jacen in response to the quesiton. But when the dragon-marked scion begins to work on the map, the half-orc steps forward. "I can change colors too."
As a crewmember, Karsh'e waits for orders.
Karsh'e looks across the deck where the more well-heeled members of the party are settling in. He resolves to have more money some day.
"Aye, aye, Mr. Greene!" Karsh'e's tone is less cheerful than before. Karsh'e fetches another bucket of clean water and goes to work. While he swabs he thinks about meeting Mr. Greene, in the galley, with a belaying pin.
Karsh'e finishes the main deck just before the ship clears the harbor breakwater. He's walking his bucket to the rail to pitch the dirty water over, when the ship crests the first big swell. The bow pitches downward and the half-orc staggers and falls to one knee. The dirty water splashes out and rolls across the clean deck.
Karsh'e finishes the foc's'le deck. Changes the water and moves down to the main deck.
Equipped with mop, bucket, and water, Karsh'e is soon enthusiastically swabbing the deck.
"Aye, aye, Mr. Greene" Sailors are always saying aye aye in the stories that Karsh'e has heard. "Ahh, where's the bucket and mop? And where can I get water?"
10 charges each. You should have about 1,000 gp each.
" Thanks. I'll see the bosun then." Karsh'e trots toward the forecastle to the accompaniment of barely muffled banging pots. "I'm to see the bosun about working for my passage. What can I do?"
Karshe considers his meager coin. "Can I work for my passage?"
A half-orc lumbers along the quays of Sharn in strange company. He doesn't have a proper cloak; he seems to be counting on his wide, conical straw hat to serve a cloak's purpose. Rough homespun hangs from his limbs. His plain leather vest looks stout enough. Could it be a piece of hide turned inside out? A knife rests in a horizontal sheath across his belly; it's supported by his rope belt is knotted at his right hip across from a longsword that slaps awkwardly against his thigh or calf with each step. A neatly looped whip hangs over one shoulder. On his back is a large itinerant peddler's pack, although it sags mostly empty. The pack clanks of metal knocking on metal when he moves. Two long wooden staves are tied to the pack and loom above his head to provide room for more storage. The half-orc's features are almost mild enough to pass for human, and his long, lush hair supports the inference, but a prominent lower left canine that just slips out from under his upper lip, and a faint greenish tinge to his skin, proclaim a different ancestry. His companions are an eclectic lot, two warforged, two humans and an elegant elf in a cloak in the Aerenali style. The half-orc stops passersby to ask if they know where the Princess Anne is tied up. His easy demeanor eventually gets an answer and he strides briskly up the appointed gang plank. "Is this the Princess Anne? I've passengers for you if you're sailing east."
"I can leave any time."
"Do you have any wands of arcane healing?"
Karsh'e smiles toothily. "What kind of healing does work?"
"Thank you, Lady Elaydren. We will be careful. And now Lia wants to visit House Jorasco."
"That sounds good." The halforc is looking forward to visiting House Jorasco. He had never been in one, had only heard of their hospitality and caregivers expertise. It seemed like a good, quiet sort of avocation, but not the stuff of tale and paean. He was curious. Perhaps there was a different king of story in it.
"Oh. Baron Merrix. That makes everything clear." Karsh'e notices the reaction of the warforged. "Who is Aeren d'Cannith to you?"
"So far," said Lady Eladryn. "What can you tell us about Aeren, so that we'll recognize them if we meet?" *****
"And where's House Cannith in Whitehearth?"
"So Whitehearth is in the Mournlsnds, but what is it, a castle with a hig fireplace?" On learning Whitehearth is a town, Karsh'e seems troubled. "A town is a big place to search. Any idea where the schema is in Whitehearth?"
Karsh'e 's expression droops. He agrees slowly, "A ship then. I can leave now." The mention of 2000 in gold gets his attention, with a small gasp. There is one difficulty. "I don't think I have an account."
"Red lights are fine. Let's just go before we're attacked here again." "You can also go by sea," said the Lady Eladryn. "Or, if we are in a hurry, could we take the lightning rail east and purchase horses and supplies on the border of the Mournland?"
"I will go also, but can we settle the details somewhere else?"
"The Lord of Blades doesn't give up and will send others after us. Is there someplace safe that we can talk? House Cannith, maybe?'
Karsh'e watches the kobalds go. He makes no attempt to pursue. Then he stares at his sword for a few seconds before sheathing it. "We should leave also." He looks at the bartender. "Sorry about the mess."
Karsh'e sidesteps to let the warforged's weapon slip past. The he sweeps his own sword from the scabbard, trying blend it into an upward strike on his opponent's exposed arm. ... The swing is awkward, but what would you expect from someone who's never really trained with a sword. "Do you recognize this blade?! It belonged to a comrade of yours. His evil died in the sewers beneath the city, and now this sword longs to redeem itself."
Karsh'e shrugs off his pack and puts his hand to the hilt of his new sword. "We'll see how worthy you are."
"It sounds like the ones who raided House Sivis. Lady stand behind us in the corner. We will protect you."
"We have nothing for you, Lady. We were on the bridge just after a House Sivis Post Station was raided. When we investigated, we found the raiders were led by a warforged, and something for you was taken. We were worried for you. Can we help you again?" |