Author: Jormingandr, Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 10:49 AM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

She watched his expression change and shift as he was searching his brain to remember her. Though she wasn't consciously aware of how his eyes wandered over to her coin purse, years of living amongst the dregs of society and surviving on her own had honed her instincts and they were told her something wasn't quite right. Even so, she had already decided that she would find some way to repay the guy, so she couldn't very well just up and leave and shake him off, could she… besides, maybe her instincts were a bit off, just this once. No, she didn't truly believe that. But all she had to do was to be alert and make sure he didn't get the best of her if he did try something. At the very least he didn't seem hostile and she doubted he wanted to harm her, so the question was what was he up to? She'd find out, sooner or later.

As he tried to get her name right she couldn't help but cringe a bit. It wasn't uncommon for people to get her name wrong, if ever they tried to pronounce it, but truth be told most just didn't bother. Because of this, she had not gotten used to hearing the various ways in which you might mess up, but it seemed this guy was determined to go through them all for her. Still, it seemed he was really trying his best, just that he couldn't wrap his head around it, so in the end she couldn't exactly berate him for it either. She sighed. His best would just have to do and she'd just have to deal with it. Maybe, if it got to be too much, she'd just have to come up with a nickname that he could actually say. Unless, of course, he did so on his own. There was this odd pause before he introduced himself and she wondered if she'd actually been given his real name or if he'd offered up a false one. Truth be told, it wouldn't be such an odd thing to be wary in a place like this. It was the type of place where you could get into trouble fairly easily if you said the wrong thing to the wrong person, or sometimes simply by existing. She'd given false names to a couple of people here during the time she'd already been there. "Well then, nice to officially meet you, Vincent," there was a hint of suspicion in her voice, but she gave him a bit of a grin, almost like a challenge. Exactly what that challenge was, however, she didn't know.

When he urged her to tell him about their meeting and made himself comfortable, she pursed her lips for a bit. Her eyes travelled up and to the left as she recalled the events of that day. "Hmm… see, I was being pursued by a group of people for… reasons," she wasn't sure she wanted to go into too much detail about who had been chasing her or why. Those enemies of hers were still alive and active, as far as she knew at least, and she didn't feel like giving him that kind of a weapon to use against her. "They were quite persistent and hot on my trail, but I managed to slip into an alley, only… you happened to see me. They came by right after and asked for me by description and you gave them some false information. I don't know why you did that, though I wouldn't mind you telling me now, since we have the opportunity to sit down and get all chummy, after all" she gave him another brief, very faint smile, though it seemed to struggle to reach her eyes.

"Well, since I've offered up a piece of information, here's a question for you," her eyes narrowed just a little bit, her features taking on a sharper edge. It wasn't hostile, merely inquisitive and attentive, but with a mind that was honed to store information for… later use, if need arose. "What brings you here? I didn't exactly expect to run into you here."

Author: Vincent Cross, Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 8:30 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

 Quirking his eyebrows Vincent began to think. Obviously she knew him, but he could not recall how. He knew her face, but nothing else came to him. No places, events, etc. He wondered how she knew him. “You might have to refresh my memory.” he chuckled, responding to her with a dumb smile on his face. His eyes began to narrow in on her pouch, but they quickly darted back up so it wouldn’t seem obvious as to what he had been looking at.

“Ah, Jörmingandr..” he echoed her name, or at least attempted to, in reality butchering it. He just couldn’t seem to say it right, and so he tried again “Joemin…Jo…Jomin..” he couldn’t seem to get it right. He scratched his his white hair trying to figure out how to say the woman’s name, but it was no use. “My name is…” he hesitated for a moment, he was planning to steal this woman’s valuables, should he really give her his name? He suddenly remembered where he was, the pirate haven. No one would care whether he had stolen some woman’s belongings, that behavior was practically expected here. On the other hand he was also curious about her tale of how they apparently met. The cogs in his head were turning. He had originally planned to steal from her, but she had instead caught his interest. “….Vincent” he finally said.

“So Jörmin…” that was as much as he could get right for the time being, or so he thought he had it, in reality he even butchered that “..tell me about how we met.” he rested his elbow on the backrest of the bench and placed his head on the palm of his hand. He was intent to hear this tale now.

Author: Lirin, Posted: Mon Oct 9, 2017 2:00 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

No where had the barest of hints of Celeste. Apparently, no one has seen or heard of an elf coming through any of these lands a year ago or since. Hope would not be abandoned, however. The vampire had just been reunited with her for the barest of moments, only to have her disappear again. She refused to let it simply be, and left her sire's side. It was a choice she did not regret.

Lirin refused to believe that there was no information, and decided it was time to try a new route. As everyone else would be tight lipped to her, perhaps she needed to find a snake to slither into closed circles and find the elusive tidbits of information lurking just outside of grasp. For her, there was only one way to do this. Donning her corset and a dress of the softest cotton dyed the blue of an angry sea, Lirin stationed herself in the corner of an inn's common room with lute in hand.

Slender fingers plucked and strummed at the fine cords, the room quickly filling with the rich sounds of the instrument. It set a mood that bordered somber as she warmed up. As she did so, Lirin sent out tendrils of her magic. Soft wisps of scent wove around the few people in the room, pushing out of the cracks and crevices it can find, even up into the rooms above to find reclusive patrons. They trailed through the air, catching the attention of anyone who could smell her scent on it, leading them back to the common room. Unfortunately, she had no way of knowing who was enraptured, or the tiniest detail about them. This was merely her way of attracting people into the room so she could take note of each who entered and make her choice then.When people started pouring in, Lirin began singing softly in her native tongue.

"Elgara vallas, da'len
Melava somniar
Mala taren aravas
Ara ma'desen melar.

Aras ma ghilas, da'len
Ara ma'nedan ashir
Dirthara lothlenan'as
Bal emma mala dir.

Telenfenim, da'len
Irassal ma ghilas
Ma garas mir renan
Ara ma'athlan vhenas
Ara ma'athlan vhenas."

It was a lullaby that their mother used to sing to them, and now, the lullaby represents calling for her beloved Celeste.

Author: Vicente Cadenza, Posted: Sun Oct 8, 2017 8:26 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Vicente hadn’t let his features fully reflect how glad he was that Rhoda decided to accept his attempt at humor. Maybe he wasn’t as convincing as he wanted to be. But, something about the way the summoned the beginnings of a playful smile helped him steel his own resolve. His eyes watched as her posture shifted into something more relaxed. The feel of her smaller hand wrapping around his wrist caught him off guard as she decided to take the proverbial helm.

Being ushered about the various stalls by the smaller woman was enough to dominate the senses of any simple man. And, at that moment, Vicente felt like the simplest of men Canelux had to offer. He acquiesced as she set to playing the part of a tailor. Garments pressed against his chest caused his head to bob with silent laughter. He appreciated how focused she was - how driven. Finally, his chaperone had settled on her choices.

“Hm?” Was all he could offer at first to her suggestion he bathe. “Wha-what’s wrong with-,” he stopped, his head angled slightly back and away before realizing the question was a ridiculous one. His eyes quickly flicked down towards his person without changing his posture.

“…You are right.” Vicente’s eyes narrowed and a smile slowly followed. “I don’t want to ruin these absolutely fine choices od clothes you’ve made for me, Ms. Aelish.” He’d become aware of how close she was staying to him as they traversed the stalls. “An inn will do nicely. This is why I keep a small amount of silver aboard every lifeboat in the The Gale’s employ…” He trailed off for a moment before turning emerald eyes back towards his physician. “…so we can do what needs to be done to get her back.”

He had escorted the smaller sylph down the main drag until they found an inn he knew Cross would be familiar with. Room and board were negotiated, and renegotiated, once Vicente convinced the Master of the establishment that he in fact was not some half naked beggar holding Rhoda at knife point for a hot meal and a bath. The Master eventually came to recognize The Gale by name and description, as well as Vicente himself. Whether or not it would spawn rumors that the ship had been taken by force was another matter for another time.

“I know it isn’t proper,” Vicente finally said to Rhoda, after the barmaid showed them to their room. “And, in any other town you’d have your own room. But, for the time we spend here we treat this just like the skiff: we share the same room and Mr. Cross and I will take turns standing watch.” The Pirate’s haven wasn’t bad enough in the past to warrant that type of behavior on their previous visits. Rhoda wasn’t the only female member of the crew, even though Rhoda never came to land at The Haven with the rest of them The women who served as deckhands and engineers were always free to go where they wanted, when they wanted.

Everything was different now.

“Feel free to pay one of the serving girls to bring food up to the room.” He pressed a bit of silver into Rhoda’s palm. “I’m going to take that bath you suggested.

Author: Jormingandr, Posted: Sat Oct 7, 2017 8:22 AM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

It came as a surprise to the tiefling when the group seemed to split up. This wasn't exactly a place where most people ought to walk around on their own. Well, at least that girl was accompanied by the other man, so they likely had some sense of the type of place they were in. Then again, she didn't know what relations those three had, though it seemed to contain some level of familiarity. As soon as they started to move about and pay closer attention to their surroundings, she forced her eyes down to her drink for a bit. Now that they were setting out it was a lot more likely for them to spot her watching them, which could be taken the wrong way. Given the nature of a lot of people around here, it'd be a wonder if it wasn't misinterpreted.

The man and the woman walked off and Jörmingandr let them slip from her attention. For all she knew, they could have merely been temporary travelling companions and her business was with the younger man. While trying to appear as though she was merely people-watching, she tried to keep track of his movements. The way he stretched and moved further reinforced her impression that they hadn't had an easy or comfortable trip. How long and from where had they been travelling? Then again, in such a small vessel, how far could they really get? A puzzle. Then, for a split second, their eyes met. It forced her to blink and pause for just a moment, before she let her gaze slide away, as though she was just looking over the crowd of people that moved around. Had he recognised and remembered her? If so, getting this debt repaid might not be too much of a hassle after all. She raised the stein one final time, tilting her head back to down the rest of its contents, that warm feeling of alcohol spreading in her mouth and through her throat. When she lowered it again, she found that the man she'd been watching had moved and she'd lost track of him. An expression of mild annoyance started to make its way across her face just as a voice called out from just nearby. Her head turned to face the source. Suddenly she found herself thankful that she wasn't mid-drink, as his words might have made her choke on the mead if she had been. Instead she shot him a confused look as he plopped down on the bench.

Okay, so it seemed he did recognise her, but it also seemed unlikely that he actually remembered her. If he'd remembered the people who'd been after her that one time, his approach might have been a bit different, or so she was willing to wager. The question was how she should handle this. Her free hand subconsciously sought her face, tracing one of the scars with her thumb as she studied him. That grin, in combination with his words… she could honestly say that flirting wasn't on the list of ways in which people usually approached her. Usually it contained rather more fear or violence. In a sense it was a breath of fresh air, but it did make her wary. Though exciting, new things in a place like this was often bad news; experience was a good tool for survival.

"If you truly remembered, would you need to ask?" she raised an eyebrow at him, mirroring his grin. Then she shifted a little bit to make it easier to keep him in her sights. "But yes, we have met before. Though circumstances were perhaps… less relaxed, at least on my end of things. There wasn't time to exchange names and certainly not for any flirting," the last part was almost said in a chuckle. Perhaps the information she'd given would light a spark in his memory, maybe not. In a place like this, it was probably a good enough idea to give people a good reason to believe you held good intentions. Then again, most people here probably wouldn't ever hold on to something like a debt of gratitude, so all in all it might not make a difference. "Since I have a bit more time now; Jörmingandr is my name. Though most call me 'demon-spawn' for short," there was a short, bitter laugh. If he hadn't already figured out her heritage, it was just as well he was told now. People always found out eventually and she didn't like it when previously calm people started freaking out. Her fiery eyes didn't leave him, in part to gauge his reaction, but also because her cautious nature was part of what had kept her alive for so long. Additionally, she didn't offer to shake his hand. She was still holding the stein and she wanted one hand free, just in case. Her dagger was still at her side. Though he'd once saved her life, she still didn't know why, nor did she know his current intentions.

Author: Rhoda, Posted: Fri Oct 6, 2017 8:35 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

In response to the young thief's jeer, she sneered, "Maybe one of these days you'll learn something, Vincent."  With half an ear she listened to him and the Captain discuss plans. Her eyes focused on the comings and goings around them. She watched as Vincent went on his way out of the corner of her eye. "Don't muck it up," She told him plainly, a hint of worry pervading the words.

A stiff breeze passed them by and coated her slippers with a layer of dust. She frowned, before raising her head quickly to give the Captain her full attention, "Mm?" She was slightly taken aback by the nearly sullen expression that appeared and disappeared across his face in seemingly the same instant. She dismissed it quickly enough and cocked her head to the side, "Unless my memory is failing me, I don't think I've ever heard that in reference to you."  Looking up at him, she met his grin with a hesitantly playful smile. Part of her felt that maybe it was too soon to be enjoying anything at all. But she could not deny the soothing respite in her heart. She appreciated it. Rhoda's grip on the straps of her bag loosened and gave way, posture relaxing. "Of course Captain," She grabbed his wrist to pull him along, "Don't dawdle!"

It took only half a glance to evaluate the wares at the stalls lining the streets. Organized as always, she knew what was needed for each of them, and would not be distracted. With a sharp flick of the wrist, she denied the shouting hawkers one by one. "Oh!" She exclaimed as bright fabrics pulled at her attention. Sifting through the clothes, she occasionally held it up for Vicente to examine. Standing on her toes to press the shirts to his torso and giving appraising nods. "Here," She handed him a tunic and shoes, both the cheapest of their kind. Rhoda enviously eyed the silken robes her fingers trailed across, before swiftly pulling away. They did not have the time or expenses to even consider such things. Plus, she did not particularly enjoy how the thin green material reminded her of a home soon to be forgotten.

Rhoda waited for the Vicente before stepping back out on the street. Always sure to keep him close. The Pirate Haven put her on edge. It truly was her first time in its midst. The previous times the crew stopped here, she had chosen to stay on the ship. Far away from the scoundrels who could even put Cross to shame. Away from lecherous eyes and violent fists. "You might want to bathe first before you ruin those clothes Captain."

"Would you like to stop by the inn, or is there something else?"

Author: Vincent Cross, Posted: Thu Oct 5, 2017 1:46 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Turning from the captain at the word of his leave “Sure sure captain, I will be sure to do that” he shouted back not necessarily caring about the orders being barked at him. Vincent walked along the dock inspecting each person he passed with a wild grin on his face. He was almost in bliss being able to whatever it was he wished…within reason. He knew he wasn’t the only wolf in town, and so he had to be careful not to be swindled himself.

He finally made it off of the dock and onto real, dry land. He took a moment to take it all in. He took a deep breath and stretched his limbs, that small skiff had not been good on his body. Though all his wounds had been healed, that night in the skiff left him stiff and sore. Once he had finished his little routine he began to look for a target. All of his valuables had been taken from him, and he needed some silver. “Just like old times.” Vincent muttered under his breath with a smirk making its way across his face.

A woman caught Vincent’s eye. She seemed to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Her hair was so red that it almost seemed glow in the sunlight. She had two distinctly different eyes, one as red as her hair, and the other seemed to have an orange glow. Her face was riddled with scars, but somehow it was still beautiful. She seemed oddly familiar to him but he couldn’t put his finger on why. Vincent shook the thoughts from his head. He continued to look the woman up and down, trying not to make it obvious. He noticed a pouch on her hip, ‘Bingo’ he thought as he began to approach her.

“You look familiar to me, have we met before? Of course we have, I would never forget a beautiful face such as yours!” there was some truth to his words, he had seen her somewhere but he couldn’t recall how or where. Vincent sat next to her on the bench, hoping that he could get her to loosen up to the point where she would let her guard down. “Please tell me I am not wrong?” he grinned.

Author: Vicente Cadenza, Posted: Mon Oct 2, 2017 11:35 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Captain Vicente took a moment to knuckle the small of his back after standing upright. His eyes traced each of the lines that had cleated their skiff to the weathered dock. That same dock reminded him that his feet were as bare as his chest. A shake of the head was all he could offer before he and what remained of his crew made their way topside to land. 

“Boots, shirt, coat, rum - a bath…” His list trailed off once they made it to the harbor’s highest point. The main drag laid before them. Hawkers lined the street before it snaked out of view. This was not by any means Vicente’s first visit to The Pirate Haven. They had their laws, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t an opportune place to acquire just about anything a crew could need at discount rates.

“Mr. Cross,” he finally said, addressing his Bosun without removing his eyes from the drag. “I’ve enough coin to make myself decent again. Enjoy your shore leave,” he slightly tilted his head towards the younger man. “Find out what you can about our old lady,” the phrase had been used in the past as a covert signal to mean The Gale’s Lament. “Keep your head down - yes, I know you know how,” He delivered the last bit with a low voice and the dull beginnings of a smile meant to disarm any sense of condescension towards his deck officer. “They might not be so kind as to set us adrift in a skiff if we run into them again.”

Vicente allowed Cross to ask questions before settling on a point for later rendezvous.

“Ms. Aelish,” he turned to the physician once Vincent had gone. “If you could be so kind?” He suddenly registered the defensive posture and scowl she’d adopted. His arm gently swept towards the main drag. “I’ve never had much a head for fashion,” something close to a sour expression caused his nose to wrinkle. ”My mother always dressed me…”

A moment was allowed to tick by until he finally barked a sharp laugh. “Please,” he turned to face the street of peddlers with both fists on his hips. She needed humor - they both needed humor - to help bury what had happened to their ship and crew. He wasn’t a man overly in tune with the finer nuances of emotions and sentiment: but, that they needed to be distracted was plain.

“They don’t call me The Finest Dressed Captain To Ever Sail The East Wind for nothing…” He looked back down to Rhoda. “…I know, literally no one calls me that.” He offered her a toothy grin. “But, do need clothes. Would you accompany me?” In the back of his mind he assumed she knew it was an order, and not a request. He couldn’t allow his physician to wander around a place like The Haven alone.

Author: Jormingandr, Posted: Mon Oct 2, 2017 8:54 AM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Though the sun was just starting to rise above the sky, the day was drawing to a close for the tiefling called Jörmingandr. She'd been active since dusk, so she still had a few hours of activity left, but work was done for the day so she had settled down to enjoy a drink if mead while winding down. The inn where she was staying was right at the docks, it made for a somewhat noisy place to lay your head down, but it also meant she could take in the sight of the ships coming and going, as well as the people they brought with them. 
  
As she sat down on a bench right outside, her back resting against the wall of the building, she sighed deeply. The air was laden with various smells and scents. Some were pleasant, spices that are being loaded or unloaded onto a vessel, the wooden scent of a newer ship, food being cooked somewhere. As for the others… Well, gutted fish and sweaty workers were not among the worst, and enough said about that. She kept the stein of mead level with her lips, almost resting her head against it, letting the sweet aroma fill her senses instead. 
  
Besides the bench she had put down her bow, but the string had been removed earlier. The air was damp from the presence of the ocean and walking around with the bow strung at all time seemed a fine way to ruin it. Even so, she wasn't unarmed. Carrying some manner of weapon ready for use was almost as natural as breathing was at this point.
  
While she took a sip of her beverage she let her odd coloured eyes wander over her surroundings, the early sunlight making both her eyes and hair seem on fire. Some people met her steady gaze briefly, but most of them looked away hastily from their unnatural glow. Most of them probably couldn't identify what she was and even if they could, they weren't the type of people who'd openly go after her.  But then there was something that caused her to do a double take. From the crowd of strangers, stepping out of a small boat, there was a familiar face. There was no name for her to connect to that face and it had been a little while, but there was no doubt in her mind. Three people had just arrived and one of them she owed a debt. 

She wasn't trying to hide the fact that she was watching them, but in the end the docks were a busy place and one lone person watching wouldn't be that obvious. At least not at this distance. A slight smile tugged at the scars on her face. It didn't do much to make her look friendlier, but on the other hand there wasn't anything that actually made her look hostile. Not that that usually stopped people from getting the wrong idea. 

For a moment she let her eyes travel up to the sky, a speck much further up was circling around the area. No one was paying it much attention, it was too small to be of note to most. She turned her attention back to the three newcomers who had caught her attention. 

She leaned forward a bit, lowering the stein, her forearms resting against her knees. This was… Unexpected. Now, the main question was what to do about this. Debts ought to be paid, always, that was something her mind had decided long ago. However, for that to be possible there needed to be an in for her to take action. If anything, he might not remember her and even if he did, she was not about to explain that she felt a need to repay him for anything. So what should she do then? Her eyes watched the trio as she contemplated this. They didn't exactly look like they were in the best condition. For now, maybe following them would be an option, unless she was approached.

She took a large swig from her drink. Maybe this day had only just begun after all. 

Author: Vincent Cross, Posted: Sun Oct 1, 2017 9:04 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Vincent winced when Rhoda began healing him. Something about the process felt odd to him, the feeling of the wounds closing almost the same as when they were created but at the same time it dulled the pain the further it went on. “Such an odd feeling…” he muttered to himself. In the end he would much rather have the wounds be mended, and there was no more efficient way than this. Rhoda’s hand was coming towards his cheek, he again closed his eyes for a moment and reopened them when the slap never came, instead it was a simple pat on the cheek. When she was finished he began to stretch his arms and legs, trying not to wobble with the boat. “Thanks Rhoda!” he gave her his youthful grin. 

Not shortly after, night would fall and Vincent would get his rest, until the morning came. Not long after the morning sun rose, they spotted something in the distance.

Looking towards the land, a smile came across Vincent's face, he really couldn’t wait to see what the ‘citizens’ of the pirate haven had to ‘offer’ him. It would be just like the old times before he met the captain, stealing, looting, working the odd jobs he use to do. He seemed to be in a state of bliss. Thinking of the old days almost made Vincent happy that they lost their ship, but he quickly shook the thought from his head. The captain let him steal…to a point, though there were rules that he had to follow. These rules were things Vincent didn’t quite understand, don’t steal from the clients, don’t steal from the orphanages…hell, the captain almost made him give some of his loot to a homeless beggar once, if it hadn’t been for Vincent threatening to leave the crew the captain would of never let it go!

“A fresh start, eh? Think I can build us a fortune again?” he laughed heartily. He felt energized, though only hours ago he was barely able to stand. Rhoda’s magic sure was handy, even when accompanied with unpleasant sensations. 

Finally, the skiff had reached the dock. “I can’t believe we didn’t die out there!” he said, though his voice was oddly cheerful. Though in good health, they were quite fatigued. “I think that is a good idea Rhoda!” Vincent didn’t want to use the little silver he had, so he would let her buy them a room for the night. “You have always been so generous!” he jeered. Vincent’s eyes began to wonder, looking at the belongings of those around them. He couldn’t wait to snatch them for himself, he was almost giddy.

Author: Rhoda, Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 9:34 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Hands hovering over the bosun's face, she watched as the discoloration faded and his fair complexion returned. She rolled her eyes at his antics patted his cheek. Not hard enough to count as a slap, but not gently in any sense of the word, "Done."
She spun on the balls of her feet and wobbled as the boat rocked. Firmly planting her feet, she looked to the captain. Eyes narrowed at the joke made in poor taste. 'Yeah…' she agreed in silence. She trusted in their captain enough to believe that he would get them safely to the infamous Pirate Haven. Even in their raggedy, sorry excuse of a boat. Dragging nimble fingers through her hair she braided it back to keep it out of her eyes. Rhoda considered the implications of what the captain suggested. Maybe it was naive of her not to consider that first. An act of treachery. How much more likely would that be rather than a simple and random act of violence? They were attacked. Looted. Humiliated. Common actions of common criminals. It could simply be that their crew was at the wrong place at the wrong time and some people decided to take advantage of the fact. But the idea that this could have, was in fact, a concerted ambush was somewhat jarring. Not that their crew on Gale's Lament were of the noble sort. They had their fair share of dealings in dark alleyways, and people whose toes they've stepped on without remorse. Rhoda furrowed her brow as she tried to pinpoint the blame on a singular person.

The sun dipped beneath the curve of the ocean and she thought to herself that it was not nearly as beautiful as watching it from the sky. Night overcame them and a yawn escaped her. Not very conducive to her argument with the captain that she could stay up and help man the boat as well. She settled down with a petulant pout and allowed sleep to take her. It was not long after sunrise that they arrived on land. 

Rhoda was the first to step onto the dock. Despite her immense relief at being on solid land once more, the scowl on her face said anything but. Fixing a hate-filled glare on any passer-bys that dared to throw them a wayward glance, she shouldered her bag protectively. Her last bit of silver could get them a room at a decent inn tonight. "What's the plan?"

Author: Vicente Cadenza, Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 1:30 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Something akin to gratitude smoothed the edges of Vic’s mind. Cross was behaving admirably. The Bosun was a bit younger than himself. Perhaps that was where his own resolve came from. He tried to imagine how he would have taken all of this at that age. Marvin, Shelley, Kim, the names gnawed at those once smoothed edges as their faces rolled by behind his eyes. They were all Vincent’s age.

A deep pull of air caused the Captain’s nostrils to flare. Silence stayed his lips. The eerie feel of cool water wrapped in a warm flame resonated across his wounds. He could see the soft glow of the Sylph's hands from the corner of his eye. He didn’t need to turn his head to know she was doing her best to follow suit and suppress her own emotions. In a way, she was behaving more human than either the Captain or the Bosun.

“Yes,” he responded. “I don’t think we’ll have a hard time finding you work, Mr. Cross.” A grunt sounded in his chest as he adjusted himself to keep the skiff on course. The wounds had healed, but their sore memories remained for a time. His eyes spent time bobbing between the compass, the map and the bow.

“And, you’re right, Ms. Aelish: thank you for reattaching my head to my shoulders.” His free hand lightly stabbed its index finger at the map. “Allowing for drift… we might be a day away from The Pirate Haven Vilpamolan.” His eyes lifted from the map to give Vincent a nod. ”Or, two days from Perditi Cemetery.” He couldn’t help but make a face the sound of the name.

I’ve enough dead people in my life, thank you very much. His own silent, morbid bit of humor caused his head to recoil as if someone else had said something offensive. He quickly shook it off and looked to each of his Officers. “It will be The Pirate Haven.” He turned his eyes back to his map. “This wretched boat is motivation enough to get us back into the skies, and I think we can start to put the pieces back together there… this - all of this - wreaks of treachery.” He studied the deck a moment, lost in thought before looking back to Vincent. “Someone at that haven is going to know something.”

The sun had already hung high before their limbs and their sails had been set free. Day rolled into night and The Captain and The Bosun took shifts between sleep and navigating the sea. Vicente insisted Rhoda sleep till day, claiming she was the only means of keeping either man healthy and sane, should they be even further from land than he hoped. Whether or not he was being practical or stubborn in his sentiments towards old fashioned morals was anyone’s guess.

Somewhere through the night, when the temperature of the land had fallen and the wind went slack, Vicente lowered the main, lifted the rudder and manned the oars.

The soft swish of water rippling against the skiff’s haul was gently punctuated with every row. The melody of Dusty Rose played in his head, repressing the low burn of the muscles in his back. He moved the oars in time with the invisible instruments. He watched the entirety of the sunrise while his crew slept. The ocean were as flat as a pane of glass. There was something worth respecting - the contrast between the chaos of the previous night and the empty tranquility of that new day. He turned his head over his shoulder to cast his eyes across the bow.

Something low began to form on the horizon.

He quickly traded the oars for his sight glass. The wooden handles each slapped the deck in turn. Silent curses berated himself as he tried to move quietly to stand on the bench he had been rowing from. The glass was extended and just over the horizon he spotted dry land. A wide grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“Reveille, reveille, reville, mates.” His words were spoken just above a casual volume. If his oars hitting the deck hadn’t woke his officers, then that surely would. The tingling sensation of adrenaline coursing into his limbs and down his spine caused him to plop back down onto the bench. Determination set his brow as each hand commanded an oar. “The Gale’s Lament,” he said, in a low voice meant only for himself. Determination set his brow, posture and pace as they continued towards land.

Author: Vincent Cross, Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 11:21 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Unable to contain his laughter Vincent began “You just woke up from being beaten unconscious and you are already barking orders at me.” he yelled at the captain in jest. He slowly stood himself up feeling like a toddler who had barely learned to walk. His legs wobbled as the waves tried there best to knock him off balance “They must of done a number on me.” he muttered noting his balance and the cuts on his body. His head was dizzy but he was able to stay standing, though he wanted nothing more than to sit down. “Orders are orders” he grumbled doing his best to check the sails.

No tears in the sail and everything else seemed to be in working order. “I suppose they wanted to give us a fighting chance, I guess they weren’t too bad of guys after all. Everything seems fine captain!” he jested, though insensitive it was. His heart wasn’t made of steel but this was no time to break. This was the time to put themselves to action and stay calm. In other words it would be best if they could push what had occurred to the side until reaching some sort of civilization.

Slowly Vincent made preparations for their new course to the west. Finally he was able to take a breather and sit down, waiting for Rhoda to come to his aid. Finally she came to examine his wounds, Rhoda would find he had a few cuts, some deep but nothing fatal. He had minor bruising on his face, most likely from when he had been knocked out. It made him wish his lights would of been out after the first hit to his head.

“Caneleux? Maybe my sticky fingers will be of use to us” he said again chuckling.” he had always prided himself on his illusive skills. “We will have enough money soon enough if we ever make it to land.” he said without realizing such words could scare their physician. “I mean…we will make it…probably.” he stated with a dumb smile.

Author: Rhoda, Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:39 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

She watched in relief as the two men began to stir. Vincent being the first to fully come to. She simply nodded at his instructions. Mind still dazed, reeling from the entire situation. A softly mumbled thanks fell from her as per reflex as he went to work on her bindings. Finally free, she allowed herself a moment's time to rub at her raw wrists and ankles. A pained hiss escaping with each touch. 

She eyed the few of her belongings that fell into the boat with them. Her staff a few feet away was split into two uneven sticks with jagged ends. Rhoda rose slowly and steadied her footing. The rough rocking beneath her making her uneasy. She picked up her small bag and quickly eyed the remaining contents. It wasn't much, she frowned and stepped over to her captain's side. Amazed at the way he and Vincent could jump straight into action like that. How they could just so easily roll with the punches. 

Rhoda wiped away the damp streaks trailing down her face and schooled her features. The wrinkles marring her cheeks smoothed and sculpted her face into one of apathy. She would, they would, have time to mourn later. 

A soft green glow cloaked her hand and she went to work. Fatigue ebbed at her bit by bit. She preferred not to use spells that did not correspond with her nature, but at the moment it was all she had. There was no medical equipment on her, or anything to prepare her herbs, this was the most effective and only option. Rhoda grazed Captain Vicente's bare skin and took note of how the cuts and nicks swiftly closed. As he addressed her, she raised her eyes to meet his but was instead met with nothing. His empty gaze off to the side made her heart clench. She looked away and finished up, "You'd be correct."

The wind picked up ever so slightly as she made her way to Vincent. Appraising his physical damage with a sharp eye. "From what I recall yesterday, we weren't terribly far from the Canelux coast"
 

Author: Vicente Cadenza, Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:11 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Whisky and women - good song and good company - and The Gale, grounded with a belly full of loot. It was the celebration of a score large enough to earn them all an early retirement. It was an affirmation that all the money in the world couldn’t keep her crew from the sky: simply because it was where they belonged.

A single sob ripped Vicente from his dream.

Heavy lids fought to expose irides the shade of forest moss. He tried to beat his way through what felt like the familiar squall of alcohol and dehydration weighing down against his senses. Water, the single word echoed in his throbbing head. His eyes drifted shut.

Voices pulled at weary lashes. It wasn’t a hangover. The memory of being boarded suddenly rushed behind his eyes. Men and women alike had died: his men and women. A groan formed through gritted teeth. He needed to get back to his ship. He needed to get back to The Gale-

“Motherless goat sucker,” he winced at the feel of his bindings digging into his wrists. “I’ll hang you from you gods damn-Cross!” The sight of his Bosun brought a bit of decency through hope. He realized now that his bare chest and legs, clad in simple trousers, lay upon the deck of one of The Gale’s emergency skiffs.

“Cross, lad: what-,” his words were run aground at the sight of the Miss Aeliseh curled up on the deck. His cheeks puffed up as a hard sigh spilled out from his lungs. He knew he didn’t need to tell his Deck Officer to help the lady first. He was a scoundrel, but a good man at heart. Or, a pragmatic one: his body began to register the thrashing he had taken the night before. It was an East Wind’s luck that she were aboard.

He waited patiently until it was his turn to be freed. A wordless nod of thanks was an afterthought. The wild blue taunted them from above their desert of salt water. A vacant stare came to occupy his gaze. A moment ticked by as the shock of what had happened slowly dug its fingers into shoulders. Finally his right hand moved of its own accord in order to pop open a small panel in the skiff’s bulkhead.

“Bosun Cross… are the sails in working order?” His eyes failed to lift from their lifeless perch as he spoke. “If you would be so kind as to hoist the main, and unfurl the jib-,” He looked down at the compass and map his hand had produced without waiting to ask its Captain for permission. “I believe we ought to tack to port: we head West.” He finally looked up at the other two. There was a resolve that seemed nearly unreasonable - bordering the lines of driven and broken - in its somber tone.

“There’s nothing of it but to go West.” There was no way to know exactly where they were, but they would hit land or die trying. “I would ask of your injuries, Miss Aeliseh.” His words addressed her, but his gaze did not. His right hand made a small, flippant wave. “However, a good Captain knows his physician knows more than he. Mr. Cross, the main, if you would.”

That same hand moved to man the rudder on the skiff’s stern.

Author: Vincent Cross, Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:08 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Vincent grumbled to himself, annoyed by the poking in his side. His eyes began to slowly open, the sun hurting his eyes. He could only squint, given that his hands were bound behind his back. He must of fallen asleep, or of been knocked out. He didn’t know which, but what he did know is that he could use something to help with the headache. His muscles ached and his body felt like it had been beaten. Slowly he brought himself to a sitting position, not the easiest of feats with bound hands.

He let out a sigh as the skiff rocked back and forth with the small waves on the ocean’s surface. Not many of his possessions made it out of the ordeal with him. He only had his tunic, trousers, a few lock picks, and a small grappling hook that was already in the skiff. Saddened he remembered all of his lost treasures aboard their now stolen airship, it frustrated him to no end. The more he thought about this the more angry he had become. Of course he was somewhat saddened about his fallen comrades, but his riches were everything to him. He had worked hard for them! Vincent took a deep breath, trying to quell his disgruntlement, but his face could not hide his emotions.

After a few moments Vincent looked over to who had kicked him, it was the physician. He looked out to the boundless ocean, beginning to understand just what kind of situation they were in. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, with little to no supplies. Vincent’s eyes widened for a moment as realization hit him, but he had to stay calm. Panicking wouldn’t help in this situation. He looked back to the Sylph “Rhoda…check and make sure the captain is alright.” they were going to need her healing abilities “I will find a way out of these ropes.” or so he hoped he could.

Looking around for anything with a sharp edge, he recalled the grappling hook he had spotted earlier. VIncent made his way towards the sharp hooks, and began to slowly cut away at the rope that restrained his hands behind his back.

Author: Rhoda, Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:27 PM, Post Subject: [P] A Physician, A Bosun, and A Captain [P]

Carelessly left adrift in the middle of the Nyella Ocean was a small boat and within it were three battered forms.

The sun beat down on her harshly and she groaned. The pain returning to assault her at full force as she regained her consciousness. Her head lolled against the bottom of the skiff and she curled into herself tightly, ignoring the way her metal braces burned imprints into her skin. Long hair unrestrained lay splayed all over everywhere, Rhoda struggled to shift into a somewhat upright position.Moving was made difficult by the way her wrists were tied tightly behind her and her ankles beneath her. Rhoda grimaced at the uncomfortable chafing. With rapid blinks she forced the fuzz out of her sight and focused on what was before her. The tears in her tunic. The gentle slap of waves against a wooden hull. The prone forms of her last two crewmates. A broken sob pierced the emptiness around them and the fog concealing her memory of last night lifted. The knot on the back of her head throbbed angrily.The alarm bells sounded a second too late. Rhoda responded a minute too slow. Even if she had been earlier, she doubted she would do any good. Compared to the others her combat prowess was embarrassingly lacking. In the throng of the commotion, she found that many of her mates had already fallen to the blade of unknown assailants. She battled hard, but crumpled quickly enough, her warning shout cut short. The image of the Captain and Bosun cornered faded to black.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and hesitated before nudging the man nearest to her, hoping to the Gods that they were not dead too.