Chapter 8: Wistful and Weathered

[Jeff]

Syrdan:

"My 'unfinished business', as you call it, may mean someone dies because of this abduction...And that means their blood is on your hands....As for your apologies, save them. I grow tired of meaningless words."

Captain Morsha fixes Syrdan with a incredulous stare, which then dissolves into apathy. "I'm not apologizing. Let's just keep the blood off all our hands, shall we?"

[Brian]

Condign eyes the newcomer, trying to get a feel for him. A new foe? Or perhaps ally. After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. He gives the stranger a brief nod.

Turning to the captain, he says, "What else do you have to show us? Sleep and food would be most welcome about now. And this rocking motion, it is getting a bit. . .um, unsettling."

[Darren]

Kalarian moves a step closer to Morsha. "Captain, I wonder...is it often that you get stowaways?" Eying the drow, Kal says, "It's just, given your current menagerie of passengers and captives, the presence of a stowaway seems..." Kal twirls his hand as though searching for the right word, "suspicious?"

[Ken]

As the group is first guided aft, Belarin leans in toward Streko. "Yes, indeed, a minotaur," he whispers excitedly. "And one garbed not as I'd expect, based on the many tales. He looks almost... priestly? Worth talking to, I'd wager."

So interested is he in the minotaur that the appearance of a drow seems almost mundane. Then, seeing Condign's discomfort, he says sympathetically, "Stare at a fixed point on the horizon. I've read that it helps. I don't want you vomiting on anyone else, Condign. That was OUR special moment." He manages to smile. "As for me, I'll be staring at a point twenty feet off the port side. That's how far I imagine I can throw a scalawag's heart after I cut it out."

[Dave W.]

At Syrdan's accusation, Adamant shakes his head a little. "No, with respect, my friend, blame does not lie with the Captain or crew and repeating the charge won't make it so. Professor ir'Zathyran took Lerrhana's fate upon himself and he will be judged for it when he stands before DolArrah."

When introduced to the drow, the warforged makes a shallow bow, "I'm afraid I do not know the proper way to address you, Shorak. I have never met a drow... nor a stowaway. Perhaps, 'May there be peace between us'?"

Belarin's discussion of vomiting catches Adamant's attention. "Oh, yes Streko, are you well? I thought at first this was a reaction to the poisoning... Doesn't it make sense for you inner machinery to reverse it's flow to clear a poison? But it appears that the Captain believes it may continue for a while."

"I have a dozen questions, Streko. Does food taste the same in the other direction? I'm afraid it doesn't smell the same. Does it feel strange moving upwards? It would have to, I would think. A warm, thick fluid moving I'm the wrong direction?"

----------
I'm a bad, bad man.

[Dave B.]

Shorak looks at the hand offered him and with only a slight hesitation, grasps Syrdan's hand firmly, yet somehow lightly at the same time. "Greetings." His expression is neutral and somewhat cautious. He carries numerous scars, most hidden by his tattoos.

He nods toward the newest warforged on the ship. "I have no title, so Shorak is fine with me.

"Yes, I am a stowaway. You might want to hear the story from one of the crew. They find it a much funnier tale than I do."

He then moves to the rail to look out at the water, stretching and taking in deep breaths.

[Joe]

"Captain, please don't take this as a threat, but you ARE aware that you are guilty, by association, of kidnapping, as is your crew, by extension. You know Larest's crimes and yet you continue to work with him. I shall not assist you in any way, other than to remain under your ship's rules whilst upon her. Nor, should I say, will Olladra favor you or the denizen's of this boat, so it's good you make your own luck. Sadly, accepting Larest's contract is not bound to favor you with Olladra or anyone else. I simply pray you have the skills to take us to safety and to return us safely as well. That would go better for you, certainly.

"Now, if you please, I wish to go below and stare at something that isn't moving for a while. Further, the more wine I am able to consume, the quicker I can fall asleep and not risk marring such an abused deck as this. Larest? Your hat, please? I am told I need a bucket to be sick in."

Streko nods at Shorak's words. "I would rather hear your story from your own mouth. The words of kidnappers and those who parlay with them are of no consequence to me. As the saying goes, we are all on the same boat and the enemy of my enemy is my friend. However, if you wish to tell me your tale, please, let us do it below-decks. I fear I might slide off this ridiculous floating prison and drown."

With that, Streko makes his way toward the ladder to go below-decks.

[Dave B.]

Feb 1, 2011 22:14:04 GMT -4 Joe said:

However, if you wish to tell me your tale, please, let us do it below-decks.

Shorak looks at Streko as he walks away, "You will have to wait a bit longer for my tale, then. I have no desire to spend any more time 'below decks' for the time being."

[Darren]

Kalarian reaches out a hand and places it on the small of the Captain's back, pulling her aside a bit and lowering his voice. "I apologize for my halfling friend, Captain. The sea-sickness is making him a bit cranky. I understand that you simply made a business arrangement with the soon-to-be-dead professor, and I don't hold you responsible. I do wonder, though...a vessel such as this wouldn't be sailing just to ferry some passengers across the ocean. I assume you have some other purpose in sailing?"

[Jeff]

Kal:

"It's just, given your current menagerie of passengers and captives, the presence of a stowaway seems...suspicious?"

Streko:

"Captain, please don't take this as a threat, but you ARE aware that you are guilty, by association, of kidnapping, as is your crew, by extension. You know Larest's crimes and yet you continue to work with him. I shall not assist you in any way, other than to remain under your ship's rules whilst upon her. Nor, should I say, will Olladra favor you or the denizen's of this boat, so it's good you make your own luck. Sadly, accepting Larest's contract is not bound to favor you with Olladra or anyone else. I simply pray you have the skills to take us to safety and to return us safely as well. That would go better for you, certainly.

One sentence into his tirade, the crew seems to freeze; there's a few intakes of breath. Eyes go to Captain Morsha, whose face seems to flush slowly. Her eyes smolder at Streko's words. Anng, the burly helmsman, takes his hands off the wheel, shifts his weight, looks like he's either about to recline to be more comfortable...or bracing to charge.

Larest chuckles darkly. Morsha angles her head and glares at him. She holds a hand up in warning to the professor.

"...Now, if you please, I wish to go below and stare at something that isn't moving for a while. Further, the more wine I am able to consume, the quicker I can fall asleep and not risk marring such an abused deck as this..."

The captain's gloved hand falls to the hilt of her saber. "You really dare?"

Kal:

Kalarian reaches out a hand and places it on the small of the Captain's back, pulling her —

Morsha's body twists away from him, and somehow her saber comes free in a flash. Its blade pressed against his throat. "You will not touch me again," she says softly, then she steps back, pulls her blade away, lowering it, and lets him speak.

"I apologize for my halfling friend, Captain. The sea-sickness is making him a bit cranky. I understand that you simply made a business arrangement with the soon-to-be-dead professor, and I don't hold you responsible. I do wonder, though...a vessel such as this wouldn't be sailing just to ferry some passengers across the ocean. I assume you have some other purpose in sailing?"

The captain's face returns to a neutral state. She sheathes her blade. "My purposes are my own, d'Deneith."

"If I may suggest, Captain," Spindrift says, stepping forward, trying to diffuse the tension. "Let us conclude this day. There is much work to do for us all, and all the passengers need time to adjust."

Morsha gestures an acknowledgment at her first mate. "Go. Show them where they're staying. The halfling gets no wine. Let him be sick."

Throughout all this, the minotaur has remained distant, staying by the railing, only half paying attention. He seems preoccupied with the western horizon, which you can barely even see now.

The gnome works his way over toward your group, bright-eyed and looking like he's ready to introduce himself, but Morsha intercepts him. "No," she says. "Save it. Talk to them tomorrow." She points at ir'Zathyran. "Larest! We need to get a few things settled before you go below. And stay the hell away from them for now."

Spindrift stands before you. "Will you come with me?" He turns to Shorak, "We will find separate accommodations for you, Shorak. But you are free to go where you will. You have been cooperative, and for that I thank you."

[Darren]

Kal smiles at Morsha's back. "Touchy," he says.

Turning back to Spindrift, Kal holds up his hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, Master 'Forged. Lead on." Kal takes a step, then stops and raises his voice. "Oh, Captain? About our possessions?" He leaves the question hanging in the air.

[Ken]

Belarin frowns slightly at Streko's threatening non-threat, and he's about to say something when he spots Kal moving in.

Feb 1, 2011 23:00:55 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kalarian reaches out a hand and places it on the small of the Captain's back, pulling her aside a bit and lowering his voice.

"Yep," he says softly to Condign and Adamant, "he's leaving me with the necromancer lady. Bad choice on his part, though." Despite the warlock's flippance, Condign and possibly Adamant sense that Belarin's dark anger still burns strongly within. Every glance toward Larest seems to promise retribution.

There's no time for further thought, however, as Morsha reacts strongly to Kalarian's presumptuousness.

As Spindrift begins moving them below, he walks toward the drow stowaway and extends a hand. "Shorak, was it? My name is Belarin. Welcome to the Good Ship Confusion. I've just woken up, but based on our bearing, I'm confident our destination is Bloody Revenge. Should be entertaining."

Kal takes a step, then stops and raises his voice. "Oh, Captain? About our possessions?" He leaves the question hanging in the air.

"Leave it be, damn you," he hisses at Kal.

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Simul-posted with Jeff and Darren. Had to make some edits.

[Dave W.]

"My apologies, Captain. You are not seeing us at our best," Adamant says softly as he turns to follow the slim warforged First Mate.

As they approach their berths, Adamant suggests "Master Spindrift, if there is some work I could do while on board I would prefer to be useful. I have never been on a boat before but I am capable of any sort of manual labor and am willing to learn any other task."

[Dave B.]

Shorak turns toward Spindrift. "I'm glad you appreciate my cooperation. Any chance I could get my gear returned to me?"

[Brian]

Condign stifles a groan as Kalarian provokes Captain Morsha into drawing her blade. Along with Streko's ill-advised imprecations, the two have undone the uneasy cooperation that had developed between the Captain and her crew and the group.

Prepared to defend his friends, he splits his attention between the Captain with her blade at Kal's throat and the helmsman glaring at Streko. He decides the burly helmsman is the bigger threat, but before he can move to assist the halfling, the Captain sheaths her blade and the tension recedes.

Belarin:

"Yep," he says softly to Condign and Adamant, "he's leaving me with the necromancer lady. Bad choice on his part, though."

Condign glances at the dark-garbed necromancer. "The woman from the City of the Dead? I thought so. I suppose we will have to do our best to have her join Larest in the long sleep of death; to allow her to live could mean we would never be rid of him." He can see the anger collecting in his friend's eyes. "We will likely be days on this ship. If you want to relate what had happened between you two, I would be glad to listen."

Kal:

Kal takes a step, then stops and raises his voice. "Oh, Captain? About our possessions?"

Belarin

"Leave it be, damn you," he hisses at Kal.

Condign steps between Kalarian and the Captain. "Enough," he says softly to Kal. "Time to follow the warforged. After we have seen where we will be staying on the fine vessel, then we can talk about what our next move will be."

[Jeff]

Kal:

"Oh, Captain? About our possessions?" He leaves the question hanging in the air.

And it remains in the air only.

"Welcome to the Good Ship Confusion. I've just woken up, but based on our bearing, I'm confident our destination is Bloody Revenge. Should be entertaining."

Belarin finds Anng staring at him like an angry bull, somehow more brutish right now than the minotaur. "There is no revenge before Stormreach, got it?" he rumbles.

Shorak:

"I'm glad you appreciate my cooperation. Any chance I could get my gear returned to me?"

"Not at this time," Spindrift says, shaking his head. "This is not a good time for questions and expectations. Tomorrow the captain will make considerations, but things have not begun well." If a warforged could sigh, it looks like Spindrift would. "I will discover your accommodations shortly." He leaves Shorak standing there, then left to his own devices.

The gnome and minotaur look curiously at him from a short distance away. The human professor and the black-robed woman walk toward the bow of the ship with the Captain behind them. Shorak can tell that the two humans are associates of one another; the gnome and minotaur seem to be extras. Hirelings? Or perhaps they were tricked onto this boat as well, as the newcomers? But Shorak remembers seeing them from his place in the brig before setting sail, so at least the gnome and minotaur knew they were coming aboard.

Spindrift leads the rest of you down belowdecks, moving past Streko, who was already headed there. "Please, follow me," he says to the halfling. "You would do well to show respect to the captain, Lord Streko. This ship is fast, but it will still be a long journey." It almost sounds like he's going to say more, but the First Mate doesn't seem particularly verbose. Few warforged are.

Adamant:

"Master Spindrift, if there is some work I could do while on board I would prefer to be useful. I have never been on a boat before but I am capable of any sort of manual labor and am willing to learn any other task."

"I understand and appreciate the offer," Spindrift replies. "But tonight you should remain with your companions." He adds, softer, "Perhaps you can keep them quiet, for their own good? I will see if any tasks can be given to you in the days to come."

Adamant can't tell what Spindrift's nation of origin is. He has no discernible accent from the Five Nations. As far as he knows, all warforged have some origin in the war, since they were created by House Cannith for the war.

Spindrift brings you all to a cabin, with a pair of bunks on the ground and several hammocks attached firmly to the walls, suspended above them. All of you will be sharing the same room. A pair of chests offer storage, but of course right now you have little to place in them besides armor. There are two doors for the room, one leading out to the corridor at the side of the ship, and another leading to an inner hallway.

"This is where you will be staying," the warforged says. "Water will be brought to you. In the morning, go to the rear of this level, and there will be food."

______________________________

Don't let the map fool you. Remember that the PC icons show the combat space you occupy, but you don't actually take up that much space. The cabin you're sharing is actually quite large, though it must be shared.

[Darren]

Once Spindrift leaves, Kal glares at Streko, then says to his companions, "For what it's worth, I was trying to be cooperative with the captain. I do understand the situation we're in here. It wasn't me who provoked her...."

Kal sighs. "Okay, what's done is done. No sense assigning fault. What's our next move?"

[Dave W.]

"Thank you Master Spindrift, I understand. I am sure there will be discussion before we turn in."

When the door is closed and the group is alone, Adamnt asks, "Are you possessed? We could not have played things more favorably for Z if he were putting the words in our mouths."

"if someone has evidence to believe the Captain took part in our abduction now would be the time to say it. She should be our ally."

"Please tale some time to order your thoughts."
--------
so much more to say but must run to work

[Ken]

"I agree completely," says Belarin. Then he looks at Kal, not without sympathy. "And I agree with you also. 'What's done is done.' Obviously this is damn frustrating. But we need to get the captain there to think favorably of us, not to entertain suggestions from Professor Bootlegger on the return trip that she would be better off killing us than letting Streko bring her before Brelish courts on charges of kidnapping.

"This is a long game of strategy, my friends, and Professor Bootlegger has already won the first two moves. Let us all, myself included, refrain from further threats against him in public. We've already made our intention clear. No need to whip the crew's ears -- and our hopes -- by repeating it. By the way, that woman with him? I saw her during my brief solo excursion in the City of the Dead. She's the necromancer I mentioned."

He eyes one of the hammocks and leaps into it. "I claim this one! Ha! And I -- ohhh, that's not good..." The color of his skin nearly matches the color of his cloak as the sudden swinging motion of the hammock seems to nauseate him. He climbs out and steadies himself against the wall. Then he looks at Streko, looks down, and says, "He drugged me, that bastard. With dreamlily. I take it I was the only fool who accepted his offer of wine? Damn it...."

[Darren]

Kal's head perks up quickly. "Dreamlily?" He rubs a hand on his chin. "Now that IS interesting, isn't it? I wonder if there's any connection..."

[Mike]

"The captain accepted the coin of ir'Zathyran," Syrdan says to Adamant. "Perhaps she was misled, just as the professor intended to mislead us. But when the truth of the professor's treachery was revealed to her, she still treated us as prisoners, and still followed his orders."

"So she's an enemy, as far as I'm concerned," the elf continues. "She listens to ir'Zathyran and does his bidding."

He looks over gravely at Belarin. "But your assessment of our situation's correct. We need to look at the 'long game', as you say ... and once we can deal with the professor from a position of strength, we can further decide what needs to be done."

"I leave our negotations to those who can speak better than I can, though." The elf takes a seat upon one of the chests. "I find compromise difficult, and my tongue is not quite as gilded as others."

"I do propose, though, that we decide the proper tact for speaking with the captain again, should we be granted an audience with her. Often, when we speak to someone, when there's many voices they work at cross-purposes to each other." The elf glances wryly upwards. "As evidenced upon the decks."

[Dave B.]

With the newcomers being shown their quarters below decks, ShoraK decides to take a stroll around the deck top side. Something he's been wanting to do ever since he stowed away on the ship. He is careful not to get in the way of the crew.

He glances at the gnome & minotaur, but is not really interested in conversing with anyone. He just wants to enjoy his limited freedom while he can.

[Jeff]

Shorak

Shorak quickly realizes that while you get some space, you're never really alone on a ship, even one as large as this one. Crewman are always about, and they cast glances his way. No one looks truly worried about the presence of a drow, half or otherwise; no doubt they've been to Stormreach and back so many times, and anyone who's ever been to Stormreach has seen drow before. What they think of them is another matter...

Still, they know little about Shorak, so that's cause for mistrust.

Still, the air is fresh and clean. The cliffs that rise up a few miles away on both sides of the ships seem to be creating some sort of tunnel effect. It's actually a little bit cold topside. The outlanders call this month Sypheros, and it's evidently two months away from winter. But the climate on Xen'drik isn't like the climate on Khorvaire, so he hears.

He looks up at the dark mass of Khorvaire. Allegedly a place full of wars and false peace, politics, and great civilization. Organized magic and religion, and lots of ideals. People fighting other people for freedoms, gold, and power. But people always come from Khorvaire to Xen'drik, seeking the treasures of the ancient civilizations. They call Xen'drik the Shattered Land, or the dark continent.

Which he can understand. The rules of nature and the ability to understand or master old magics break down there. One thing he's learned: you must learn to adapt. The jungles may be warm, and lush, and dangerous...but venture beyond those hills and you may find yourself in a frozen tundra, or a volcanic lake. He seriously doubts this expedition, with its "professor," his hirelings, and his indentured adventurers have a clue what they'll be facing.

When Shorak wanders toward the bow of the ship, one of the sailors approaches him while working with a thick coil of rope. She's a dwarf; not the only female or dwarf among the crew, but certainly the only female dwarf he's seen aboard. She's got the tan, weathered skin of a seaman, and her thick hair is coiled back beneath a bandanna.

"Sherk, isn't it?" she says. "Ye're gutsy, drow. The last stowaway on th' Merrow got gutted." Her lips crack into something like a smile—a few missing teeth there. "'Course, that was a thief and criminal proper...and you took, what, only a few fruits and some water to stay alive on the way up? Smart. Didn't skim too much from the stores. No one even noticed. Ye're a survivor, ain't you?"

Shorak is pretty sure she's genuinely impressed, not accusing him.

[Brian]

Condign walks over to one of the hammocks, a red hand coming up and pushing it so that it swings back and forth. "Interesting device," he says. "I do not believe my tail and horns will allow me to use this. I may have to use a bunk, if that is fine with all of you." He turns and smiles at Streko. "However, you, my nauseous friend, will not be sleeping above me."

[Dave B.]

Shorak looks down at the dwarf, "Survivor? I suppose I am. If it wasn't for that clumsy mage, I might have remained undiscovered the entire time." He shrugs at his own comment as if to say it is what it is.

"Out of curiosity, have you heard of any other drow seeking passage out of Xen'drik in recent times?"

[Darren]

"Well," Kal says as he takes a seat on one of the beds, "it seems I have gotten off to a bad start with the captain. I guess she doesn't like handsome men or something. Belarin, perhaps you should speak with her?" Kal grins innocently at the other man.

"Just remember, she is a professional and not necessarily our enemy. Yes, she took money from Larest, and no, she didn't immediately throw him overboard when she found out what he did, but that doesn't mean she takes orders from him, either. She has to maintain discipline on this ship. She has to be in control of her crew. She can't just immediately throw someone over the side just because we said she should. Ultimately, her opinions will always go along the lines of what is best for her ship and her crew. If you remember that, conversations with her will go much more smoothly."

[Jeff]

Shorak

"Out of curiosity, have you heard of any other drow seeking passage out of Xen'drik in recent times?"

The dwarf considers this. "Drow, leaving Xen'drik? Not aboard this ship, nor any others I can rightly think of. But, y'know, I've seen one or two in Sharn before...so I guess it does happen. Can't figure they'd be gettin' much acceptance anywhere else."

She pauses in her work. "Why were you leaving? A dare?"

[Dave B.]

Feb 2, 2011 20:25:14 GMT -4 Jeff said:

She pauses in her work. "Why were you leaving? A dare?"

Shorak smiles slightly, "A dare? Sort of. More of a challenge, really. Besides, I was in need of a vacation of sorts. Not what I planned, but still very interesting. I wasn't expecting to be away from Xen'drik for long. So, I guess that part of my plan still holds true."

[Joe]

Streko glares at all of them. His friends. He listens to their remarks and a part of him considers them as being logical and intelligent.

Then again, he was taken away from his sister...again. Ripped from her and his family without choice and without cause. Regardless that he was more than curious and would have gone along with Larest's plans willingly, he was never given the choice.

"Bah! Sharn is still in our sights and I am almost willing to jump from this ship and make for shore. If I died, at the very least it would have been my choice to do so. This is NOT my choice and I will NOT pretend to be happy about it. AND THIS BITCH OF A CAPTAIN AND HER DEVIL-SPAWNED CREW BE DAMNED!"

He sticks his finger down his throat and forces his stomach's contents onto the floor. Once he is done, he stands, gasping, then turns his back onhis friends.

"Twenty years to find her and twenty seconds to be carried away yet again. Olladra DAMN this vessel and her crew to the depths for all I care!"

Streko stalks over into a corner and slides to the floor, away from his friends. A deep, overpowering despair washes over him and he hides his head in his arms and weeps.

[Jeff]

The cabin very quickly stinks of vomit. It may be difficult to sleep* in this condition.

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*And achieve an extended rest, for mechanical purposes.