Solo Desperate Times, pt. 1

Leaving for Desperation Bay

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This northernmost city is the home of Morwen, The Goddess of Winter, and her followers who dwell year round in a land of frozen wonder. [Lore]

Desperate Times, pt. 1

Postby Reverrsoi on February 25th, 2021, 6:11 pm

11th of Winter, 520 AV

Reverrsoi rubbed his eyes against the assault of the early morning sun peeking over the horizon and glaring off the sea. He squinted in the direction of the port, trying to take in whatever information his half-sleeping brain could handle. There were a handful of sailors milling about, and most seemed much more present than him. They clapped each other on the back and laughed, lending help to the dockhands where they could to carry supplies on board. In the middle of the hustle and bustle Verrs spotted Lasheela. In fact, it was hard to ignore her with her hands waving and her voice carrying over the group.

"Is that the last crate, boys? You'd best be hurrying up if it's not! You've got places to be!"

"Lasheela!" Reverrsoi called, "Where you want me?"

Lasheela glanced around at the sound of her name, not taking long to pick the Akvatari out of the group. Her eyes shifted color when she spotted him as if in greeting, even though her expression remained a scowl. "Where you been, Verrs? You think it's cool to be late on your first big excursion?"

"Sorry, Ma'am," He replied slowly, searching for the words in Vani through his sleep-muddled brain. "I've been a bit nervous and I spend too long with my packing." And I overslept a little. He thought.

She scoffed. "Nevermind. Your captain is Hallia Coolwater. Go ask her what you need to do. She's on board."

"I will do that." Verrs reshouldered his pack and tugged on the arms of his coat to tie it just a little tighter against his stomach before taking off toward the ship.

Finding the ship was relatively easy. Being able to fly made outdoor navigation a breeze for Reverrsoi as compared to other outsiders. Anyone not native to Avanthal often ended up slipping and sliding, especially with the half-melted top layer. However, navigation on board the ship was another thing entirely. Ducking into the cabin, Verrs had to pull himself along the floor with his arms, flap with his tail, and really just hope for the best. When he spotted her, he called out in the hopes that she would help him clear the distance.

"Captain!" He waved to her. He sighed in relief when she headed his way.

"You must be Reverrsoi." Hallia held out a hand in greeting. "Welcome aboard. We'll be glad to have you."

He took her hand and shook it. "Lasheela said ask where I need to go?"

"Ah, sure. Go ahead and throw your pack in here." She thumbed at a door behind her leading below deck. "I'll show you around."
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Last edited by Reverrsoi on March 1st, 2021, 7:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Desperate Times

Postby Reverrsoi on March 1st, 2021, 7:07 pm

Hallia started up immediately upon Verrs' return. She turned and walked while she talked, not checking to see if he was listening, but rather paying attention to the various points on the ship.

"So the hammocks and things are there when you need it. It's nothing fancy, but we won't be out here long. Ten days round trip in this weather, I'd guess.

"Obviously you'll be expected to help out around the ship with various tasks if they're asked of you, but you'll mostly be up top there." Hallia motioned to a nest about halfway up the main mast. "We could use someone with wings for scouting purposes, you understand?"

Verrs already felt lost. He hadn't set foot on a ship in years and it was not coming back to him as quickly as he had expected. Not to mention the fact that he had next to no scouting experience. Nevertheless, he swallowed his fear and nodded. Apparently, he did not hide his fear well, though. Hallia stopped walking and turned around to face him, then cursed under her breath.

"Look, we just need you to watch for three categories of things. First is obstacles. That's most important. We're talking icebergs, creatures, or other ships. Second is weather. We want you to watch for storms and wind changes. And lastly, just keep an eye on the ship below. Don't let any drunken idiots fall off, and don't let anyone jettison our goods. You see anything in any of those categories, you take it straight to me, alright?"

Verrs nodded again, much more reassured this time. While he didn't remember how to run sails or tie the proper knots, he knew instinctively what danger looked like. He could manage that much. Hallia tipped her hat. "Perfect. Make yourself at home, kid." And with that, she was gone, lost in the hustle and bustle on board once more.

Deciding to take a tick to familiarize himself, Verrs lifted off the ground and gave the ship a once over. The ship was not overly massive. It had two mainsails and two staysails, as well as a large spinnaker for catching winds. Verrs has always had an admiration for specifically the sails of a ship, as each ship seemed to have its own layout and any given combination felt like a signature rather than a standard. He loved the artistry of it. In the same way that the ship's sails fluttered in anticipation in the wind, he could feel the wind rustle through his own wings. The kinship was undeniable.

Of course, none of that could make up for the fact that he hated ships.
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Desperate Times, pt. 1

Postby Reverrsoi on March 10th, 2021, 5:22 pm

Reverrsoi hated almost every ship he'd ever seen. It was not for the ships or the way they sailed- he loved that part. It was for the people that populated them.

He nestled himself up in the basket for a moment, watching the hustle and bustle below from the safety of his perch. They were so loud that he could hear them above the wind and waves and even the clunking of barrels and boxes. He could not pick out specifics of Vani or Fratava from such a distance, but the snatches of Common stood out to him.

"...anchors lifted..."
"...ice...water won't be..."
"...seals in season?"

Even from the vague snippets, he knew the discussion on everyone's lips. Would the journey be worth it? If the ice had not formed (or at least persevered) over the winter, would the seals return to Desperation Bay at all? Would their hunt be worth it, or would they lose themselves to choppy waters affected by the melt?

Reverrsoi didn't have answers. No one had answers. But they all tried to put in their two cents as if it were worth something, soothing themselves with their own voices, and that's what made the people on the ship so bothersome now. He must have sat there lost in thought for multiple chimes and may have even dozed off again, because by the time he became aware of his surroundings once again, the ship had begun to bob in the influence of the waves. Spreading his wings, Verrs dutifully glided down to help with the takeoff.

He wasn't strong enough to lift anchors, but many men could work on unfurling the sails at once so Verrs found himself a place on the rope line. The more men holding the rope at once, the smoother of a transition they could pull off. Working in waves, the group slowly loosened the sail until finally, apparently all at once, the wind whipped up into it and yanked it from their hands. There was a chorus of grunts and groans as everyone dug their heels in and felt their arms nearly pulled from the socket in unison.

Wrangling the sail once the wind had caught it was a different skill entirely. They held tightly, trying their best to bring it in to a position where it would still catch, but wouldn't be so strong as to rip through the sail or force them off course. The trick was being on the same page as the other sailors. They had to agree on where that sweet spot was, or they would be fighting not only the wind in the sails but each other as well.

The men did not seem to understand this, or perhaps they didn't care. They argued in short grunts and growls. Verrs remained quiet, taking his cues from the men in front of and behind him and silently praying for the work to be done. His arms ached, and his wings were not built for creating such backward momentum. In fact, he had such a hard time generating this power that his movements became choppy and uncoordinated. Though he was trying his best, he could tell that he was bumping into things. The worst of these finally interrupted his work and brought him falling to the deck.

"Damn it all!" Verrs balled his fists and pounded them against the wooden boards like a child throwing a tempter tantrum. But his reaction was nothing compared to the sailor he had hit.
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Desperate Times, pt. 1

Postby Reverrsoi on March 15th, 2021, 3:35 am

Behind him, Reverrsoi heard what could only be described as a snarl followed by a terrible stream of unidentifiable curses. Afraid of making eye contact but knowing he would have to move eventually, Verrs slowly turned his head back to see the source of the rage. A dark haired sailor with eyes like blue fire and nostrils like a bull looked back at him.

Verrs tried to scramble to right himself, but only succeeded in flapping his tail against the deck and spinning to face the man. "Sorry! I am-" He was interrupted by a stream of words coming so quickly he could hardly interpret them. Verrs blinked blankly.

"I do not understand." He tried to assert himself, but the man was gesturing wildly and narrowly missing nearby coworkers. He began to advance, leaving Verrs to try and pull himself backward by his upper arms. Luckily, someone else stepped in quickly. These words, he caught even in his terror.

"Hey, take it easy! We're only ten chimes from shore and you're already gonna start acting up?"

The enraged sailor spat on the deck and continued to glare at Verrs, but he at least shut his mouth. Once he saw that the protector was not going to back down, he finally resumed his place and put his pent up energy to work.

"Thank you." Reverrsoi finally righted himself and placed a hand on his guardian's shoulder. Much to his horror, the man shrugged it off.

"Be more careful." He advised coldly. "Tensions are really high right now, but we need all the help we can get. So, just..." He trailed off with a shrug, but Verrs understood perfectly.

Just keep your head down. He nodded solemnly. Every last sliver of the dream he had held onto about finding a friend amongst a ship dissolved instantly. Nevertheless, he had done it before and he could do it again. There would be no music, no sharing of stories, and no knowledge passed on. He would do his job and they would reach Desperation Bay, and then they would turn around and come home. It was simple. It was terrible.

Reverrsoi bit his lip to hold back the wobble while his resolve steeled. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and took to the air. When he reopened his eyes, he found himself level with the main sail. Ah, yes. The best part of this voyage- the ship itself. It's certainly the most welcoming. He thought bitterly.

From beneath him, a voice hollered up. "Hey! Which direction is the wind coming from?"

Verrs rolled his eyes in disdain, but he twisted his body in the sky all the same. He shifted his wings, searching for the path of most resistance. After a tick of experimentation and a quick reference to the sun, he was able to deduce the direction. However...Shyke! What was the word in Vani?

Kicking himself mentally, he knew he had no choice but to answer in Common. As soon as he did so, the direction of the sail began to move to accommodate. But he heard not so much as a grunt of thanks, and he couldn't help but feel the eyes of the crew on him even from such a distance.

If only I could keep it together for just one day!
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Desperate Times, pt. 1

Postby Reverrsoi on April 5th, 2021, 2:43 am

Despite the feelings of rejection and anxiety welling up, Reverrsoi was not yet ready to give up. Committed to making himself useful in some capacity, he put himself on deck to learn.

His first goal was to learn (or perhaps, relearn) some of the knots involved in sailing. He knew that he couldn't ask anyone, or that even if he did they likely wouldn't have time to teach him. Instead, he found a small length of rope that had been used to tie a bag shut and liberated it. He promised himself he would seal the bag when he was done, but for now, he needed the hands-on experience.

Reverrsoi wandered around the deck, doing his best to stay out of the way and out of line of sight as he took note of roping. There were some simple knots- for example the ones holding bags shut or keeping lids on boxes- but there were many more complex ones for sails, anchors, and the ends of weapons. He tried his best to trace the tail of the rope around its place so he might replicate it, but found that just knowing how the knot worked left him with little idea of how to recreate it.

Not only was replicating the knots difficult, but he found himself more in the way than not. Even though he tried to stay out of line of sight so that no one would come across him while he was focused in, there was nowhere on the ship that was not active. People jostled past at all times, their shoulders bumping and their arms swinging. When their arms or their shoulders brushed Reverrsoi, he cringed away. It wasn't necessarily that he was afraid of being hit, but he was afraid of being a nuisance.

"Sorry." He mumbled to the furrowed brows and rolled eyes that passed him by. "Pardon."

Finally, a familiar face passed by. It was his guardian- the man who had saved him from the rage of the other sailor. Verrs was unable to muster anything to say to the man, but he managed a small wave; the mass of tangled rope flopped in his hand as he did so. The guardian stopped, returning a half-hearted wave.

"What are you doing with that?" He asked in a conversational Common as he nodded toward the rope.

"I'm...learning?" Verrs ventured. "I couldn't remember much about sailing and I didn't feel very useful. I...don't feel very useful still, actually." He confided.

The man just shook his head. "Go check out some navigational things. They'll be way more up the alley of your position anyway."

"Uh, yeah. I figured they were too busy kicking off to teach me." Navigation! Of course. Verrs turned back to stare at the rope, hoping to hide the blush that rose to his cheeks. "I'll stop by soon though."

"You do that." The man said, in a way that made it clear he didn't believe it would happen. To be fair, Reverrsoi had no plans to make it happen either.
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