Open [AO-Wind Reach to Avanthal] Sailing Away

[Elan]

A New Life: Chp.1 - Sailing Away 32nd of Spring, 512 AV The sun was beginning it's ascent into the sky, turning the cliffs slipping into the distance into something far more beautiful than Elan had ever thought they were. He attributed the blurriness of his vision to the stiff breeze that was filling the ship's sails and blowing salt spray into his face. He felt as if every tie that he had was breaking, but in truth he'd broken them long before this morning. He'd been told all his life that his fate was sealed, he would live and die in Wind Reach. He would be a feather on the wing, just one thing that made the Inartan people thrive. But he had also heard stories of great adventures, of people living for no other reasons than the ones they gave themselves. When he heard those tales, he realized something, he wanted that. He, Elan, wanted to decide his own fate and he did not want anyone to tell him that he wouldn't succeed simply because he wasn't the cream of the crop. Elan took a deep breath, the almost cold air not bothering him in the slightest, but his breath misting in the air just the same. He blinked the sheen of tears from his eyes and turned toward the crew, the flurry of motion that had been set off by the Captain's orders to 'cast off', was beginning to settle. The Captain was a tall man, he also had a definite sea-worthy look about him. Scraggly yet entirely confident, his sharp eyes caught everything, and though he was quick to reprimand he was equally quick to reward a job well done. His blue eyes twinkled as he slapped Elan on the back hard enough to cause him to cough. "Come on boy, let's put you to work. If you start turning green, lean yourself over the side and don't get any vomit on the hull or you'll be scrubbing it off." He guided Elan over to another sailor who was testing the knots holding some sails in place. "This is Argil, he'll be your sea-dad. You will be with him every waking moment and you do what he tells you for the duration of the voyage." With that the Captain strode off, yelling to someone up in the odd nets near the main....wasn't it called a mast? "Good to meet you, Elan." Argil said. He was shorter, with graying red hair held back by a strip of leather, and his beard was braided. He had bright blue eyes that seemed out of place on his weathered face. Elan nodded, "Good to meet you too, Argil." Argil grunted in agreeance. "The first things you need to know. We're standing on the main deck, this here is a mast, it's the main mast in fact. Up there is the fore mast, it's on the fore deck, back there is the mizzen mast and it marks the beginning of the quarterdeck. The sides and bottom of the ship is called the hull. Oh, and if you refer to the ship, do not say it. Ships are referred to as she, or else they get temperamental and might not perform their best during a storm." Argil patted the main mast affectionately, "Don't worry old girl, no offense meant." Turning back to Elan he continued. "This ship is called The Glacier's Howl, or when speaking casually, Glacier. She's a beauty, quick but sturdy and she can carry quite a bit of cargo for her size. I've weathered many a storm on this fair deck and this fair lady has always done right by me." "Now, let's go get you set up in your berth, you'll be in the same area as the cabin boys since you're so green." Learnings : Learned This Post: Basic parts of the ship. How to refer to a ship.

[Elan]

A New Life:Chp.1 Part 2 - The Rigging 36th of Spring, 512 AV Elan met Argil on deck a few days later, he'd spent the time in between helping to 'swab the deck' as was done every other day on a rotating schedule. "Alright lad, your things are stored below?" "Yes." Elan said, nodding. "Good, you're going to help me trim some lines in the top. Follow me, and pay attention, don't want to be scrubbing your innards off the deck later." Elan swallowed as he craned his head back, those funny nets from earlier, rigging as they were called. They didn't seem too awful high, just fifty feet or so, but if the deck was moving under his feet at the base of the mast....then what would the top be like? "We're going to climb up there?" He asked Argil. "Of course, lad! Now get the lead out of yer trousers and follow me." With that Argil turned to the rigging and began climbing, the man had the agility of an acrobat, he made it twenty feet in a matter of seconds before he stopped. "You coming lad?" "Of course!" Elan replied as he jumped forward and laid his hands on the lattice of ropes, he put his on the ropes and hauled himself up, trying to use his feet to help. In his mind, it worked perfectly, in reality, his foot went through the gap of the netting and he lost his grip. He thunked to the deck on his back, his feet entangled in the netting. Argil was forced to climb down and fall to his knees from laughing so hard. "Lad, that was damn near the funniest thing I've ever seen!" He held out his hand and hauled Elan to his feet. "Now watch carefully, you won't be able to climb quick straight off. For now you need to place your feet first, then your hands, as you get the hang of it you can start moving all your limbs at once, speed will come." "Alright, let's try this again." Elan said as he grabbed the ropes, put a foot on the rigging, and made his way slowly up, always making sure his feet were in place. The height didn't bother him, but he didn't want to fall from such a height. "That's it lad, much better. You're about halfway there." Argil came back down from his spot on the mast above. "Now that you're getting far above the deck, look at what I'm doing." Argil stuck an arm through the ropes and curled it back towards himself, almost like putting the rope in a headlock. "If it gets windy, or you need a breather, or you want to do anything besides focus on climbing, just hook your arm like this. That way you won't end up splattered on the deck." He then took off back to his spot to watch Elan clamber the rest of the way up. Finally, after nearly twenty chimes of climbing, Elan made it to the hole in the platform, but before he could go through it Argil stopped him. "No, never use the lubber's hole, or you'll never hear the end of it. Go this way." Argil got beside Elan, then reached over to grab a parallel set of ropes, then flipped himself so that he was hanging upside down for a moment, before stepping onto the platform. He did this twice more so Elan wouldn't have any questions. Taking a deep breath, Elan reached out, okay not so hard. Then twisted his body, his upper half dropped and he caught another bit of the rigging to flip himself back upright, his vision swirled slightly with the view of the deck, finally he stepped onto the platform. At some point during the climb he had gotten used to the swaying, be barely registered the way the wind whistled over the platform even on this calm day. "Not bad for your first time lad, not bad at all." Argil clapped Elan on the back and began naming the sails again. Learned : Learned this Post: How to Climb