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(OOC: I am the player here so while commentary and questions are welcome, I don't want to know anything of what is to come next)
The adventures of Pezzik, gentlegnome turned reluctant pirate
Day 1, on which I learned that I am to be a swabbie
I woke today aboard the Wormwood, a pirate vessel of some kind. It is pretty clear that we were drugged. I say we because there are a number of us new recruits that seem to have gotten here at the same time, but more on that later. We were hauled up on deck with an odd taste in our mouths and introduced to some of the officers on this particular voyage. Our Captain goes by the name Barnabus Harrigan, and we are not to speak to him. I'm pretty sure we aren't to speak to his First Mate, Mr. Plug either and we should probably avoid talking to the Botswain, Master Scurge, except to say 'Yes Sir' and be about our duties.
Our first task was to test our abilities to run the rigs. Fortunately, I was not fast enough for that particular task but unfortunately, I also fell and bruised my shoulder on the way down. An elven fellow and a half-orc won that job and a meaty looking dwarf volunteered to be the cook's mate. That left me and a couple of humans to join the other recruits as swabbies. My day's task was not a hard one - fix a damaged cleat, though it did take me much too close to the rail for my liking. The work was rewarding and fortunately kept me out of some of the more undesirable tasks.
The day ended with some poor soul being keel-hauled for some transgression or another. I must keep my head about me.
Day 2, a fight and a friendship forged
Today started badly. the Rigger's Mate and three of her stooges decided to pick a fight with us just before we were to head up for the day's watch. The dwarf recruit took exception and soon, despite orders to keep from fighting one another there was a veritable brawl at the base of the ladder. I tried to talk sense into them but as soon as I heard the whistle tooting that we were late on deck, I used one of my Patterns to knock two of the goons unconscious. I hope they forgot it was me.
I was set to swabbing today and my bucket-mate was a gnome lass by the name of Giffer Tibbs, who seemed friendly enough, though she isn't all that fond of Conkobar, one of the other swabs. It was tiring work but not so bad. At the end of the day, I decided to try to earn the favour of some of the existing crew by putting on a little play using one of my glamers. I told the tale of captain Jerico and the Red Rock and it seemed to go over well, though I was as tired as I had ever been by the end of the day.
Day 3, A voyage to where?
Little came out of our altercation with Slipper Sly the day before beyond a mild beating for being late on deck and the whole situation seemed odd as they were not punished the way we recruits were.
I was set to repairing the Quartermaster's door. Her name is Cutthroat Grok, an half-orc woman and not too careful as a quartermaster goes as she left me alone with an unlocked door more than once during the day. I didn't pursue that avenue though as I continue to harbor a fear of Master Scurge's attentions. He has taken a dislike to one of the humans, whose name eludes me at the moment - the fancily dressed one, not the plain one - and he has been set to bilge duty. He, the human bilgester, not our Bos'un, seems a reasonable chap for he returned to me one of the items I had on my person before this trip began, a scroll that I had purchased at no small expense, and that had been taken from me along with everything save this book and my component pouch.
I kept my head down today and as of this time, have not asked where we are headed. Perhaps tomorrow.
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Day 4, Rats in the bilge
I was assigned to swab today and then was called off of that and sent down into the bilge with 5 other pressees the fancy-dressed human-Kyrus, the half-orc rigger-Runt, the half-elf rigger-Felarathiel, one of the swabbies who I hadn't met yet, a half-elf named Calinal and the cook, Orbin. Though I hesitate to admit it, I begin to question my superior's judgement on this voyage as we were sent to deal with a number of rather large rats with little in the way of weaponry. My beefier fellows plunged into the filth only to be quickly surrounded by a number of the critters. I used a silent figment of a wall to cut the area in half which confused half the rats giving Orbin the time to take care of the others long enough for me to slip in and hit the rest with my colour spray.
We found several valuable items in the muck and decided to divide the spoils among us, with me negotiating with Quartermaster Grok. He drove a hard bargain but I managed to obtain my pack and the writing tools with which I write this journal, the sting of paying my own spoils to buy my own possessions being lessened by being given a candle which the quartermaster didn't know was magical - more study on this will be requierd. Later that day, I returned to swabbing and made friends with a sour human by the name of Crimson Cogward, who warmed to my charms and in the end said he might be the sort to be able to get things, whatever that means. In all, today wasn't bad.
Day 5, Hauling Rope and a fool's fight
I am not a rope splicer or hauler. I earned three lashes for my failed efforts though I did strike up a conversation with a lovely halfling lass by the name of Rosie Cuswell, whose only wish is to retrieve her fiddle, which I presume is in the quartermaster's care. That afternoon, Orbin was pressed to fight an unfortunate fool of a man called Owlbear and kept on board most likely for sport. I think Orbin surprised Master Scurge and Mr. Plug as he was able to handle the lug, who while powerful was not able to keep up with the dwarf's fast and well-trained fists.
Day 6, Rat Catcher
This morning brought some unsettling talk from my bilge-rat fighting mates, who almost seem to be becoming friends of a sort. Anyway, the discussion was divided between Kyrus, Felrathiel and Runt on the one hand being quite upset with our officers, their handling and possession of our gear and our treatment aboard Wormwood, and Orbin on the other hand being willing to accept his lot and position among the crew. I sided with Orbin for the moment, for I live in fear the attentions of Master Scurge and the depths of his punishments and am not one to engage in talk of a mutinous sort.
I was set to catching rats, which I excelled at, deciding in the end to keep one as a pet. Later, I met Tilly Brackett, a human female who was brought aboard Wormwood three weeks before me and doesn't know of our destination either. She was agreeable enough and after the rum rations were delivered Calinal danced a jig to the entertainment of all aboard.
Days 7 to 9, Stormy seas
A storm rose on the morning of the seventh day which took some getting used to for a 'lubber like me. I was assigned as a runner, which did not go well for me, earning me three lashes at the end of the day. Dinner was foul.
The nest day, the storm was upon us in full force. I was set to swabbing and, though I largely failed in my duties, I was able to hide my transgressions as the officers were more concerned with the strength of the wind and surge. We were told we were needed for a second watch that day, a watch in which miss Rosie was swept into the waters. Felrathiel proved the fool and jumped in after her and soon we had two men overboard. Orbin, Calinal and Kyrus managed to get a rope to Rosie and I miraculously managed to heave a rope out to the fool half-breed before he was swept to Davie Jones' locker. The effort utterly consumed me.
On the morning of the ninth day, I was unable to move and could not leave my bunk. Fortunately, the storm broke, but unfortunately, my exhausted tardiness earned me a savage beating that evening. I was set to being a runner again, which I did better at and today's meal was poor enough that Orbin was fired as Cook's mate so that task is to be put on me, it seems.
Day 10, Call me barbeque (ooc - this'd be a Treasure Island reference)
Still recovering from the storm's weariness and still unable to figure out the powers of that candle, today was my first in the galley. Ambrose was awake and alert today so I was told to do some fishing off the back of the ship. I'm not sure I knew what I was doing but I kept the lines in the water and earned us a catch of Mahi Mahi and a trio of small yellow-fins. This evening, I tried accompanying Calinal who told a ballad while I tried to animate the story with my silent images. I'm not sure my timing was quite right but the ballad was well delivered enough.
I live in fear of making a mistake in the galley, though this will give me the opportunity to interact with the Cook and Quartermaster as we will be in close quarters for the time being. On the positive side of the ledger, events of the last few days have sharpened my studies and I have learned a pair of new mysteries, the conjuring of a protective shield and altering the air itself to save a man from falling. Perhaps I am growing beyond my former, more placid life to something newer. My mother always cautioned me to seek new experiences, lest I suffer the Bleaching. I'm not sure she meant warming to the pirate life - ha!
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Day 11, Galley and Reef Claws
I nearly died today. Scurge sent us ashore on a small reef to gather crabs and things, without a boat, mind you. We were attacked by these strange crustacean snake things that I later learned were called Reef Claws. Well, that did not go well for me. They kept grabbing on and there was nothing I could do to stop them and one nearly dragged me under. Thank Desna the others managed to rescue me.
In the end, all was well. We drove them off, Orbin and Kurus managed to capture one and we ate it, along with the meal of beans, rice and boiled pork I had stewing (no help from Ambrose, he was blackout drunk today). The Captain thanked us personally for bringing him the reefclaw and rewarded us with a potion, but it didn't help poor Kyrus as the fool was "lightly" keelhauled for sneaking his equipment out of the stores. I tried to talk to Conkobar, but he was not amenable to my advances.
Day 12, Galley daze
Ambrose was drunk again but I managed to whip together a decent bisque out of the reef claw... claws. I made friendly with one of the riggers, a halfling fellow by the name of Ratline. There seems to be quite the division on this ship and unfortunately, I might be on the wrong side of it. On the one side is Mr. Plug and Master Scurge and their cronies and on the other is the balance of us new "recruits" and maybe Sendara, Grok and Ambrose, when he's not drunk. Trouble is, the folk on Scurge's side get all the plum jobs while we get sent gathering crabs without a dinghy.
Day 13, Help from Ambrose
Ambrose was sober today... at least a little. He's a friendly sort if you can get him out of the bottle. He's been with Harrigan for twenty years and keeps a chicken he calls Black-hearted Bezebel as a pet. It's not a magic chicken (I checked) but he offered me the use of a grapnel of his that always hits.
Day 14-15, Training days
Today was boarding school with Master Gunner Rarus Craine. We were supposed to throw a grapple out to the runabout and then climb the rope over. It. Did. Not. Go. Well.
I'm not sure I'm suited for this piracy thing and if I can't figure out a way to board another ship, I might get cut loose or marooned or worse. Perhaps I will ask leave to try my hand at using my featherfall transmutation as a means of drifting from the top of the ship to another. It would be easier if I could just figure out either the levitation or spider climb transmutations but they elude me as yet.
That night, I snuck around the galley and found an old cookbook written in Chelaxian. Perhaps I should find if there is someone who reads that particular tongue so I can see if there are any particular recipes that might help in my current duties.
The following day, I tried talking to Peppary, the Sailmistress but she was not interested in talking to the likes of me. Since there seems to be a schism here, and the petty and greater officers have no interest in talking to me, it might be my best approach to systematically talk to the other members of the lesser crew.