IC Area - Chapter Four and a Half - "High Seas Peril!"

[apn]

"It started hours ago, maybe a day or so..." said the sailor, wide eyed with fear.

"I never wanted ta be a Pirate I swear!" he says, suddenly aware that the tall Elf and the Human had equipment and weapons and he was unarmed. "Just... they upped the taxes an' th' 'arvest failed an... wife left me, took th' kids... By time I woke up 'avin spent me last coins in a tavern I was on this ship an' bein' told ta work or be chucked off it!"

He shook his head.

"Somethin' happened in th' last couple of days."

"They started bein' meaner to each other. More'n usual. Me an' a few others could tell sommat was wrong. Food tasted a bit off but it was th' water that was weird. We changed it an' it still tasted weird. Still wet but ... water shouldn't taste o nowt."

Udhaav considers that the man is slightly malnourished probably having decided not to eat the food but his thirst will become more of an issue soon.

"We said sommat, me an' a few others but... all them that's bin pirates a while laughed it off, took it in th' stride. Nowt wrong we it they said! Eat this or starve an' be food fer th' fishes!"

"We was stopped from goin' ashore in Jepistra. Some did anyway but it's a long swim in th' bay an' the sharks are quick round 'ere. Then th' crew comes back on board an' we're underway. I guess that's when you lot come on wi' us. You know this is a Pirate ship don't ya? They's gonna rob ya blind or... or worse." he said with eyes wide in fear.

"It started wi' comments, jibes taken wrong way, insults started stickin' instead o slidin' off. I over 'eard. We was supposed ta be posin' as respectable sailors givin' escort to them fellas from the east. I 'eard some say they was snooty an' deserve what they was gonna get an' the other two ships were th' same an' th' spoils were gonna be scrapped over. Didn't know what it meant but I think I do now. The three ships them Sonan Ie fellas hired as escorts at short notice picked wrong, they did!"

He shook his head, wiping sweat from his brow. "They is Pirates, an' determined ta rob them Sonan Ie ships soon as we're well outta sight o Jepistra an' round th' leg o the Dragon. 'Cept... somethin' 'appened. People started gettin' meaner, shouty, violent. Then someone bit another person an that were that! Them was bitten was bitin' others an' fore we know it all them that wasn't so mean an' didn't really wanna be 'ere was runnin' around an' bein' chased by the bad uns! Humans, Urucks, that Ogre... All changed! Them that was bad turned worse, an' they was like animals, save that animals ain't this bad. Now..."

He paused as more banging was heard at the door.

Continuing in a whisper he hissed "Ship is sailin' itself an' last I saw wi' a lookin' glass we ain't got that long 'fore we 'it some dragons' spines!"

At a look from Udhaav and Akki he added "Rocks! We is 'eaded fer rocks, an' all these bad uns runnin' about lookin' ta bite folk... I thought we be alright in 'ere but if th' food an' water gone bad..."

"We's doomed." he moaned.

The banging on the door got louder. More insistent...

[apn]

The Sailor did offer a crumb of hope. "Th' Captain, may the devils an' demons feast on 'is black 'eart..."

"...had certain stuff. Like a sword an' a dagger that I know about. Spoils they was an' they 'elped 'im maintain 'old o'er this lot. On me way down 'ere I saw 'im feastin' on th' guts o another sailor." he shook his head.

OOC IQ checks

Udhaav 15 + apn rolls 2d6 = 2 +1=3
Akki 12 + apn rolls 2d6 = 1 +2=3

Ummm okay. Like WTF. TWO fumbles??? I'm not going to go crazy on consequences because that is just ridiculous.

Udhaav and Akki drew a blank when trying to figure out why the crew were affected and this man - nor they - had not. Probably luck or the cycle of the moons or something.

"Anyway, what I'm sayin' is if someone were ta distract them Pirates that turned blue and started biting everyone we can make our way ta the Captains' cabin an' get 'is stash. Weapons, armour, rings, jewels, gems... then take a boat an' some food an' make fer one o them other ships. There's five in the fleet. They can't all have been affected."

"Can they?" he whispered, turning pale.

"Only question is who is gonna draw them nasties away cause I'll be leadin' ta th' Captains cabin is all. My plan an' all that." said the former farmer turned reluctant Sailor.

[gringnr]

Akki[/b]

"What's your name, sailor? Mine is Akki... Akki the Jagged. And this is Udhaav, whom I've not known long, but long enough to trust. Udhaav, maybe we could start a fire as a distraction. It's a dangerous gambit, to be sure, but we seem to be in danger as it is...

Perhaps a fire next to the door there, while we go up those steps. We'd best make up our minds quickly."

[apn]

"Me name? I'm Bort Meggins, the farmer. Or I were. Made some mistakes. Took ta th' bottle. Lost me wife... kids... farm... ended up in a tavern wi me last coins an' nowhere left ta fall..."

"Didn't think I could sink any lower, yet 'ere I am."

"Dunno about no fire. I mean... this is a ship. We're on the sea that's full o really big sharks. Like, bigger'n a horse n cart wi teeth like..." he moved his hands apart, furrowed his brow and moved them slightly wider. About six to nine inches long then. Teeth.

"Seen 'em I as. Devils they are, nearly big as this ship! Waitin' fer th' unwary. Sea is warm, invitin' ready ta cool off cause th' sun is blazin' ot round 'ere..."

OOC You are pretty much dead on the Equator of Trollworld...

"...an if th' big uns don't get ya, the little uns will! Fast they are, I seen em! Some o the Sailors... Pirates was baitin' th' smaller ones. They figured ta catch one an' cook it, see what it tastes like. They snagged one an' the Ogre on th' end o the line was dragged down th' deck fore the line snapped!"

"Next one I seen, they used three lines, strong they was too. Big chunk o gamey meat they used, that worms ad old of. That went in th' water an' seconds later there was a bite then..."

He shuddered. "The 'hole ship shook, cause one o the REALLY big uns snagged the smaller one which is still twice as long as a grown man can stand tall!"

"So we's got a choice. We stay in ere an' take our chances or go out there an' end up jumpin' in th' water."

"Dead either way." he said, somewhat glum whilst the hammering on the door continued.

[mosker]

Udhaav

"Playing with fire..." Bitter. Bitter. Bitter. Almost insane laughter.

Wipes off tears.

"Smoke however..."

Hope drained smile: "Anyone know how to scream 'abandon ship!' in ogrish? Maybe 'save us'--because they won't--'we're on fire'"

Actions:
1. Continues inventory, looking for smoulderables. Directs companions to continue securing door.
2. Continues overthinking

[apn]

Udhaav continues to search and finds something.

Oil - for lanterns, hinges and starting fires - and several tinderboxes.

Nothing was stacked neatly, just sort of 'chucked in' so it required some climbing and clambering to get at the small barrels (about a foot high).

Akki and Meggins continued to pile stuff up behind the door. "I suppose... we might have enough to eat and drink in here and hope maybe someone comes along to rescue us..."

Eat the spoiled food and water and possibly turn into... whatever the Pirates had turned into?

Just then the the trio heard a CLUNK from somewhere. It sounded like it came from outside the boat as if the ship had bumped into something of vice versa. It wasn't followed by a crack and in-rushing of water thankfully, but was there someone outside the ship?

The banging on the door was still persistent but seemed like a pair of hands had gone.

Presumably to go check out that new noise...

[gringnr]

Akki

"Perhaps my idea is too risky... still, staying here seems to me a false security. I also like not the box there. I suspect it is... connected... somehow to happenings on the ship. And that there may be others like it nearby. What's more, I suspect that the longer westay close to that... box, the more likely we are to be consumed by madness as well. We need a plan. Besides waiting here until the pirates outside gain entry, or we are entombed inside as it sinks, burns, or both. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them."

[apn]

Bort Meggins, farmer turned sailor and very reluctant pirate, glances about.

"The crew... somethin' happened. Me an some other fellas figured to skip th' ship when we got chance. Never got it. Last I saw some were barricaded in crew quarters, others in th' gunpowder store an' elsewhere. Galley I think. Them that's turned bad was already bad. Some o th' Illkin turned too. It's like..."

He shook his head. "If you had bad thoughts an' evil intentions then somethin' made you even worse! I mean, there's magic all about, I remember a gypsy removin' a curse on Farmer Deggo's nose. It was all bulbous an' girl (OOC 'Girl thingy' That's the boards changing the word from whatever I typed. Can't even remember it but it wasn't something to do with girls, more to do with noses... Bizarre) thingy an' she fixed it right up wi some words an' stuff. 'Course that didn't out great cause he refused ta pay an' last anyone saw of him he'd been changed. Had blue skin wi' orange circles all over an' breath that would knock a Troll over. Magic. Fer good an' bad I reckon, an' this is bad."

[mosker]

Udhaav

"We think we know what's happening. But we have no idea how to stop, reverse the process. What matters now, Bort, is that if you're still living, it means you were smarter or faster or luckier than most-- and you didn't make yourself a primary object of everyone's hatred."

"Now, two questions: there are only three of us--pretty much paper dolls going up against cursed illkin--so is there anyone you trust, both personally and to still be relatively unaffected? And where is everyone, everything? We might as well have been impressed: 'Welcome aboard and now get below'

Can you sketch something out? Just give us an idea what's where in relationship to us."

Actions:
1. Looks for something to use to make a sketch in the supplies.
2. If nothing found, hands over materials from personal inventory (which means getting a bit closer to sailor than before). Staying very cautious.

[apn]

Bort, eyes wide with fear as cold sweat runs down his cheeks takes a deep breath.

"Right. Yep. Ok. I'm not the only one. There was three or four in the galley fightin' off our former crew mates last I saw. I ran past there an' down th' stairs ta the bottom floor which is..." he looks about "Th' hold. I reckoned if I was stuck on a ship where I need ta barricade meself in then best place is where everythin' kept. There were some in their quarter got woke up by th' screamin'. I think th' Captain, may the gods curse 'is evil 'eart, is worst o em as he changed inta... sommat darker.I mean even darker than sommat which eats 'uman flesh."

"Dunno where he is. I wanna be further away as I can, an' that was before he changed inta..."

Bort stops.

There is a creaking sound at the door, and the banging has stopped.

The trio hold their breath, listening.

Other than the creaking of wood panels and the clonk of waves lapping, there's no other sound but...

CLUNK!

That sounded solid, heard at the door!

CLUNK! CRICK!

The 'Crick' was the sound of wood splintering! Someone... or something was trying a different method of getting into the hold!

OOC In terms of layout you have hold at the bottom, door out into a corridor then steps at the end leading up where most crew, galley, cabin, sleeping quarters, workshop and gun rows were then the deck with the forecastle and the aft... urm, raised bit. Castle. When I get chance (up to my eyeballs at the moment) I'll sketch out a rough (and by rough I mean 'did you draw this with crayons held between your toes?' rough) sketch for your perusal when I get chance!

[gringnr]

[n]Akki[/b]

"Make for the stairs!"

ACTIONS
1. Akki runs toward the stairs with the door at the top (i.e., away from the splintering door).

2. Akki casts "Knock, knock" at the door as he approaches it.

[mosker]

Udhaav

"Bort: you see anything you'd rather fight with, grab it. Otherwise..."

Actions:
1. Hands him the crowbar.
2. Follows Akki.

OOC: Crayon with toes is exactly what this situation calls for...

[apn]

OOC Been trying to steer the other guys towards you hence their thread has had slightly more activity but don't think I'm abandoning you!

The Elven Rogue and Human Mage hurried to the steps in the centre of the hold, around all the boxes, barrels, crates and piles of stuff just thrown in here. The door was being pounded steadily now and every BANG! was accompanied by a CRICK!

"Look!" said Meggins, pointing. A crack in the door allowed a bloodshot eye to peer in. It was followed by a hiss then more insistent banging and crashing!

Akki waved his hand and there was a CLUNK as the bar on the top of the grill/trapdoor in the ceiling at the top of the stairs eased open at his push...

The Elf peered out and about.

The deck was all around him. Wares would be taken on board then carried or more likely tossed down the hatch into the hold. There was no one about on the deck so the coast looked...

He paused.

A group of filthy looking Pirates were hissing, snarling and crouched over something on the deck. A wet tearing sound then one of them leaned back to bite and pour something down his throat. Blue/gray skin and yellow eyes.

Unnatural.

Wrong.

Evil.

A quick head count. More than three. They moved about, it was dark and without exposing himself he couldn't be sure.

Behind him Meggins hissed "That thing has an axe or sommat!"

Udhaav looked up. Something had given the Elf pause. Though he'd only just met the fellow he seemed capable enough. Cautious, sensible. He wouldn't take risks...

Akki sized up the problem. More 'Ghouls' on the deck above than trying to get through the door below. In the hold enough supplies albeit spoiled because of that tiny wooden box and the rattling thing inside.

Better above... or take their chances with the Ghoul below?

[mosker]

Udhaav

"Fewer below." I say nodding to suggest we return below. "Who knows: maybe one will choke on my leg hide? If so, make em pay..."

[apn]

Meggins looks about.

Fishing in the piles of stores in the hold the pressganged sailor finds a stash of poles.

"Might be sommat to put in these. An 'ook or sommat. Damned I'll be if I let them devils just come in 'ere an' eat me innards! Anythin' comes threw that door is gonna..."

CRACK! A bigger split in the door opens and an arm - with gory bloodstained sleeves, grey/blue skin and black nails - slips through a missing half panel on the door, feeling about for whatever is blocking the door on this side!

OOC in terms of setting you up against an MR100 Ghoul as your first ever fight, don't worry too much as I'm not intent on doing that. Instead all being well the other two players will be joining in and when they do the AP will flow like rain as they have proven very effective (despite a few missteps with the dice) at slaughtering Illkin thus far. All being well should be in the next day or so... In the meantime feel free to let the Ghoul know you aren't willing to stay in here and be eaten!