In the Sailor's City (Closed Graded)

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An inland sea created by Ivak's cataclismic fury during the Valterrian, the Suvan Sea is a major trade route and the foremost hub for piracy in Mizahar. [lore]

In the Sailor's City (Closed Graded)

Postby Yon Reefslip on April 4th, 2012, 7:30 pm


13th Day of Spring, 512 A.V.

Hearing the gentle lapping of water against the hollow hulls of a thousand ships woke Yon from his mid-morning nap and he stood and stretched the kinks out of his back. Gazing about he quickly spotted a likely spot to present his wares beside a few brightly colored Casinors that all seemed to be brimming with youthful Svefra.

The sun was shining brightly, light dancing off the ocean surface and wind rustling the slack sails and rigging into a cacophony of noise, a song he had loved all his life. Yon quickly pulled Coral Star up beside the other ships and donned his belt, smiling and waving at the brightly clad Svefra children climbing masts and rigging as no other children in Mizahar could. Yon went below deck, slipping past his cluttered cabin and mess area to the small cargo hold. He grabbed a few furs, and a jar or two of honey to bring up, hopefully someone will be interested in his wares.

As he shuffled back up topside he grabbed his carving knife off his bedside. He had a few days of relaxing trade ahead of him, why not get some practice in? After laying the display out on his deck, Yon settled down on a familiar roll of rope, basking in the sunshine. He pushed a blonde braid riddled with beads and ending in a purple shell out of his face and began to whittle away at a piece of driftwood with the well sharpened knife. It would be... a sea turtle, he decided after a moment of glaring thoughtfully at the wood.

Shouts were heard from a ship not far away where a boy threw his brother overboard and the two were yelling at each other, one from the rail and the other sputtering in the deep blue. A dolphin appeared and nudged the boy helpfully. Yon loved visiting this hub of his culture. No place was more home to him than Coral Star save perhaps Lia Della's own Shanty's Shiver, but the Flotilla was damn close. He was content to sit and carve the morning away, but was constantly keeping a weather eye out for a possible customer, or better yet someone who wanted to hire his ship for a voyage.
"In honest work, the food is bad, the wages are low and the work is hard. In piracy, there is plenty of loot, it's fun and easy and we are free and powerful. Who, when presented with this choice, would not choose piracy? The worst that can happen is you can be hanged. No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto."
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Yon Reefslip
Swashbuckler
 
Posts: 14
Words: 23886
Joined roleplay: April 4th, 2012, 5:21 pm
Location: Aboard Coral Star, Southern Suvan Sea
Race: Human, Svefra
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In the Sailor's City (OPEN)

Postby Yon Reefslip on April 6th, 2012, 4:34 pm



Yon was in a trance, fixedly carving the plates of the sea turtle’s shell when a shadow fell upon him. He squinted up into the hot Suvan sun and saw the shimmer of a cutlass slipping down through the air towards him. With a yelp he rolled out of the bundle of rope and tumbled along the deck of Coral Star. Finding his feet and angrily pulling his own cutlass free of it’s sheath. He was just in time to block the second and third vicious slashes.

Yon stared at his attacker. "Pom?"
He said incredulously.

“Avast! Be about your wits when dancing with the blade of Pomgran Icidus!” the grizzled kelvic bellowed, stabbing forward with a flamboyant flourish and a growl. The older man had a sea tossed look about him, as always, and wore his wide brimmed hat low over his face. All that Yon could see was the devilish grin framed by a grey beard and sporting a stubby black pipe. The gleaming blade leapt for him again and Yon parried.

Pressing the offense Yon jabbed repeatedly forward. Pom batted his attacks away with an iron arm and let loose another wild volley of strikes that missed Yon but manages to slash the rigging of the mainsail. “Pom! Watch where you swing that!” The youthful sailor cried mournfully, Coral Star was his livelihood and home after all.

“Apologies, guppy! I was terribly excited there for a flash.” Pom barked and flashed a grin before attacking again. Yon ducked low and threw his weight into the old seabag’s stomach, sending him rolling and heaving for breath. Yon took the opportunity while the seaman was on the ground to catch his breath and observe his old friend.

Pom looked the worse for wear, which was completely normal by his standards. He wore the same ragged blue linen shirt under the same broke coat riddled with secret pockets and bejeweled with shells and fish bones. More than some Svefra Pom was a beast of the sea. The old Kelvic, when he wasn’t a grime-crusted manic, was a grime-crusted seagull, feathers askew and beak scratched and greying.

Yon stood expectantly, waiting for Pom to get up and press the attack again, as he always did. But Pom grabbed the roll of rope and threw it bodily at Yon’s face. Dropping his guard and yelping in surprise, Yon caught the brunt of the weight in the forearms, saving his face but not his belly from a beating. The force pushed him over backwards and before he could move Pom was on him again, kicking him while he was down.

Yon rolled again, but only managed to tangle himself up more in his own riggings. Children were laughing from the nearby boats. Pom joined in. “Even the minnows be amused by your misfortune, guppy!”

“You cheated, scoundrel.” Yon breathed heavily, cradling his sore ribs. He and Pom had been having these bouts of swordplay since they had known each other. Pomgran Icidus never let up if he thought Yon might need a lesson put in his head.

“Rules are for fools. In a real fight rules’ll get you dead, gup’. You fight dirty and you use anything you can, cause life is better than some ruddy code of honor. Heroes get fame, but men the likes of you and I live longer with a shrewd head and a hard heart.” Now what brings you down about these parts.” Pom asked while he helped untangle the Sevfran from a thick mess of rope. “Ol’ Della has a mind to be up about Kenash right about now, eh?”

Yon sheathed his blade and sat heavily upon the rail of Coral Star, wiping sweat from his brow. “True. The Reefslips be in Kenash, or so I hope. That storm that come with a vicious vengeance done shook the whole Suvan. Mind you, the Gut’s a place no faint hearted sailor goes on a good day, let alone in a squall like that. I been worried about them.” Yon looked out at the northern horizon, thinking of his family somewhere between Riverfall and Kenash. Pom brought him back to reality by shoving his pipe under his nose.

“Here guppy, breath on this and rest your nerves.” Seeing the look in Yon’s eyes Pom smiled and shook his head. “Just tobacco, salt guts. Won’t do no harm to ya.” Yon inhaled a breath of smoke and hacked out a quick, loud cough. Hunched over and tearing up, he could hear Pom’s bark of laughter. “Well, mostly no harm to be done. Takes some practice.” He winked his grey eye at Yon. A spark of manic glee ran through his gaze as Pom took the pipe back. The man was wild and unkempt, as were many sailors. But Pomgran had dabbled in magics, and it had left it’s queer mark upon him.

Yon frowned as thoughts of himself in a few years cropped up. He saw the same manic stare and wild swagger. Pom had been teaching him the rather shambled art of hypnotism since he was eighteen, but Yon had rarely thought of the long term effects.

Pom cracked open a jar of honey and dipped one long finger into it. Yon shouted him down and snatched the precious cargo back from the old swashbuckler, but not before the man had fished out another dollop and swallowed it. “You know you live off the livelihood of the Reefslips too, Pom. Best not to be messing the revenue we bring in, dolt.” Yon scolded the old wheeze.

“Nay good sir! I, Pomgran Icidus, do live off nothing but the wondrous livelihood of the Suvan Sea. Born on the sands of her beaches and blooded with the salt of her waters, I am nothing more and nothing less than a beast of her making.” Pom raised his voice and spread his arms, grinning from ear to ear and winking at a small girl who had approached the Star with her brothers, curious about the rowdy pair.

Yon smiled a crooked grin at the old dog’s theatrics. Beckoning the three children forward, noticing one especially wet little boy, he realized they were the same youths making a ruckus in the water earlier.

“You minnows want a treat, eh?” Yon asked, sliding the opened jar of honey across the deck to them as the three stepped boldly onto his ship. All Svefra were family, so the children were of course welcome.

The youngest, the boy who had been thrown into the water, immediately sat down and began to swirl his finger in the jar. He was followed by his bigger brother, whom fought for the jar and eventually got a finger in through his brother’s defense. The girl stepped lightly up to Yon and Pom.

“My mother says you been trying to kill each other. This true?” She asked with a serious frown. Her light blue eyes moved from Yon to Pom and back. “My mother says you been sunk in th’ bottom of a bottle too long. But you don’t look like you in a bottle now that I see you up close for myself.” She said.
Yon glanced quickly over at the brightly colored Svefran craft that the children had been on and grinned awkwardly at the frowning matron that stood watching them. “Not to be calling your mum a liar and all, but we are neither tryin’ to kill each other nor sunk in a bottle.”

Pom ran a hand through his wavy, coal hair. “That’s right, we were… practicing.” He offered, rather lamely.

“Oh like my brothers do.” She said, indicating the now fighting boys behind her, both were covered in honey. She had that child's way of stating things so brutally true.

Pom burst into laughter. "Yes lass, pretty much like that."
"In honest work, the food is bad, the wages are low and the work is hard. In piracy, there is plenty of loot, it's fun and easy and we are free and powerful. Who, when presented with this choice, would not choose piracy? The worst that can happen is you can be hanged. No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto."
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Yon Reefslip
Swashbuckler
 
Posts: 14
Words: 23886
Joined roleplay: April 4th, 2012, 5:21 pm
Location: Aboard Coral Star, Southern Suvan Sea
Race: Human, Svefra
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In the Sailor's City (OPEN)

Postby Yon Reefslip on April 6th, 2012, 6:52 pm



"Well now that you are done with your fight, what are you going to do?"
She asked expectantly, her blonde eyebrow raised in a way that screamed future Lia of her pod. Yon suddenly got a flash of the girl's mother frowning at him again.

"Well, perhaps sit and talk. Mayhaps re-rig my ruddy sail, now that master Icidus here is done ruining it." Yon offered, glaring at the old bird. Pom simply shrugged.

"But that's so boring!" The girl said the last word with the dramatic emphasis only one such female runt could perform. Stomping her small foot on the smooth boards of Coral Star's deck in punctuation.

Pom stared at her for a moment and then shook his head and addressed his old friend. "Boy do I feel sorry for her brothers."

"You've got your show, we're done now. not to mention a free jar of honey that rightly should'a cost a silver. That's quite enough, aye?" Yon said matter-of-factly. Somehow the girl was not happy with the deal. She there like a little glowering statue. By the gods, no one could glower like an angry Svefran woman. Behind her the boys continued their duel for the jar of honey, sticky fingers and elbows everywhere.

Yon vainly attempted to out stare the girl, and to his shame, failed. "Well what do you ruddy want them, lass?" He asked finally, exasperated.

She smiled, instantly a charming little image of innocence. "A story!" Her exclamation caught her brothers' attention and they came closer, finally interested in the conversation. That and the honey was almost gone.

Immediately a dozen stories of Yon's own childhood sprang into his head ready for their turn. But as he glanced at Pom he remembered one a first mate on a merchant's vessel had told him a few years back and thought it suitably exciting to hold the boys' attention while still being of interest to their cute, if demanding, sister. "Aye, a tale be told today then. If you insist." Yon said, slumping down to sit cross-legged on the deck of Coral Star. He pulled out his carving knife and picked up the nearly finished turtle he had been carving. Laying a gentle blade to the wood, he began to carve away the small tail.

"Tell me, minnows. You ever heard the tale of Shark-tooth Montair?" Yon asked, eyes flashing as he suddenly stared into each ones face. He smiled inwardly as they all shook small tanned heads, blue eyes staring with growing interest. "One of the richest sailors of his day, Ol' Montair was. Let me tell you his tale then."

"Somewhere nestled between the white beaches of the Vanti Islands lies a ship sailed all the way from Zindal Bay through the Faleyk Gulf and into the Suvan Sea. The sunken Corsair, the Riptide, was captained by a man named Alzo Montair and crewed by the most skilled seaman to ever cross a current. See, Montair earned both fame and fortune, and became the fancy of one Lady Egritte of Yahebah, or so the story goes."
Yon began his tale, occasionally flourishing his knife or turtle. He loved telling stories probably more than the children loved hearing them. They were his passion, the rich excitement of the Suvan Sea had always been his first love.

"But in fact what the truth was, and not many people pay much mind to the difference, that Montair became rich and prosperous shortly after wooing said lass. Very shortly. Spending much time in Yahebah on business as a coastal merchant, Montair met the lady Egritte at market and instantly fell under her spell of beauty and charm. He himself was a rather handsome man, tall and lean, as sailors tend to go, but by no means did he hold a flame to that gal. Montair worried that she wouldn’t stay faithful to a traveling merchant such as he and pleaded with her to demonstrate her faith, as he did with his gifts and poems."

"The lady Egritte told old Montair to go out and hunt her the most fierce shark he could find and bring her it’s teeth. Montair, confused and annoyed, thought this was indeed a right horrible way to show affection. But his love was true and his heart blind, as it is for so many men clouded by that old trickster called love. Montair rallied his men from their taverns and cards and wenches and set sail for Rockward Island, where he knew there to be giant sharks hunting amongst the reef life almost all year."

"Montair spent many days sailing over dark waters and through ragged reef to spot his prey. The beasts were seen off the southern coast of Rockward, hunting seals. The huge grey fish would explode out of the water like Laviku’s wrath, biting down on the unsuspected seals. Montair knew this was his chance to return to Yahebah triumphant. If he brought Egritte the teeth of these behemoths she would never turn eyes on another man!"


"He had his men man their nets and harpoons, promising the man who slays yonder beast ten gold mizas. They eagerly awaited the opportune moment with harpoons ready and vast fishing nets slipping into the green-blue waters near the reef. Men shouted and harpoons flew astray. Luck weren’t in their sails that morning and they had to wait until dusk to try their hand again. As the sun lay setting over the blue horizon, Montair let loose a harpoon himself, gutting the first shark to return to the reef. " At this scene Yon let slip a it of djed into his voice, trying to add an echo of an emotional thrill into it, as Pomgran Icidus had been teaching him for years. He felt triumphant when he saw the children jump a bit as he spoke the words in a low voice full of energy and mimicked a throw with his hand.

"The men cheered and Montair had them hoist his catch up. The beast was nearly four meters long and filled with enough teeth to keep Egritte happy forever. Montair plucked enough of those ivory daggers to fill a small pouch. Satisfied with the day the men feasted on the shark’s meat and turned rudder to Yahebah."

"Egritte was overjoyed with Montair’s success and kissed him upon his return, taking the pouch from his hand and telling the merchant to return in three days and he would have the display he wished. Excited, Montair could barely contain himself for those next few days, giving all his men the week off and spending his time on the Riptide dreaming of Egritte."

"When he called upon her on the fourth day she appeared at her doorway with a necklace in hand, the cord woven of a copper band and studded with shark teeth. Montair was gracious about accepting the modest gift, putting it on at once. Egritte smiled and told him the necklace was a symbol of their loyalty to each other and her love. It was magicked to give good fortune and fair winds to the sailor who wore it."


"Montair was so surprised that he pledged to wear it always and think of her as he did so. He spent the rest of his crew’s week off in her home. But alas, a man must make his wages, he set off in search of these promised riches, necklace never leaving his throat." Yon let his voice grow dark, hinting at forthcoming misfortune. He was pleased to see that even the youngest brother was still paying attention to his tale. Pom was puffing on his pipe and staring off into the waves. Gods only knew what the wizened old man was thinking about. Perhaps lost fortunes of his own. Perhaps a lost love of the past, or even Old Montair's treasure.

"And Montair found them. Montair and the Riptide become well known as the ship of fortunes, full to the brim with exotic jewels and magical trinkets, gold and silver, silks and furs of all kinds. Many a pirate tried and tried again to best the Riptide in battle but never seemed to come out victorious, leaving Montair and his crew with a fierce reputation for bravery and martial skill. And as most men agree, bravery, valor, riches, and fame attract those sweet damsels whom always cause the worst kind of trouble."

"Montair, heavy with success and greed, forgot his beautiful Egritte down in Yahebah. Forgot her promised loyalty and her gifted love. He forgot the cause to his wondrous success. He hadn’t even seen her in months. He had not Left the Suvan Sea on account of the vast hordes of riches to be had and squandered there. And thus he came to be at a pub in Sunrise Point, eyeing one such pretty lass with a keenness sweet Egritte would not have liked."

"Swaggering up to the damsel in question, Montair offered to take her dancing. But such girls who drink with Suvan sailors are not for dancing when there is hay to be tossed, so the girl led Ol’ Captain Montair up the rickety old stairs and into the room set aside for such lowly affairs. The old miscreant spent the night with that temptress from Sunrise Point."

"Montair sailed the next day for the Vanti Islands. He was in good spirits after his late night rump and his men all felt his good mood and were optimistic about the new voyage. But Montair was beginning to feel ill, a creep down his back told him something was awry. And for the first time in months he thought of dear old Egritte back in Yahebah. Surely the woman would forgive his long absence, after all fortune favored him these past few months, and she would understand his need to keep to the profitable waters. Montair still wore the necklace his lady had given him."


"Eventually the ship reached the beautiful Vanti Islands, though not without fighting their way through a storm or two for the first time in months. Ol’ Captain Montair was worried, he had not had to practice such skilled seamanship since slaying his lady’s shark, his men had grown complacent and overconfident. The necklace grew more and more uncomfortable to wear as they made their journey as well. Eventually Montair tired of the burden that weighed so heavily upon him that he removed the gift and tossed the damned thing to the salt crusted deck of his ship."

"The winds grew angry and the skies dark. A shrill scream filled the air and his men grew lethargic and fearful, for a queerness had entered the air. Montair shuddered and froze as he caught sight of a woman standing at the bow of his beloved Riptide. Egritte, or the ghost of the damned woman, or her spirit had come upon his ship!"


"The man drew his blade and waved it before him, challenging her as some devil or temptress, intent on destroying the souls of honest sailors. Egritte grew angry then, calling him false and adulterer, craven and foolish. She drew closer slowly, gliding along the deck of Riptide like some sort of vengeful mist. And as the foul witch approached, so did poor Ol’ Montair’s death. The necklace became tight, the shark teeth biting into his skin. Such a queer thing could be none but vilest of magics come curse the Riptide, what thinks the crew."

"Montair, being a mundane sort of man with no knowledge of the trappings of magic and such, was stunned to find the lady of his past approaching him so vehemently. The lady gnashed her teeth, but not only her teeth. When she moved, did so the necklace about poor Montair’s neck. When she bit, the necklace did as well. She walked along the deck, and everywhere she went boards rotted and ropes frayed. The sails began to rip and the masts splintered."


"As their captain lay dying, bloody and mutilated, the crew saw the ghost and knew nothing in the world was more fierce than a scorned love. They felt the loyalty to captain and the fortunes he brought evaporate under the cold scrutiny of Lady Egritte’s vile magic. Men jumped from the deck into the wild, dark waves with arms full of treasures. To a man the crew left old Montair to his gory fate." He again added djed to his tone, subtly trying to influence the minds of the youths with a flash of emotion. Such embellishments were harmless, the children would never even know.

"Well, as is right, the captain went down with his ship. And down they went, too. To be seated on some beach or reef or watery depth somewhere near the Vanti. It’s said that Ol’ Captain Montair is still there, as a ghost or some such vile being, made to guard his greedily gathered treasures forever. And as a reminder to those who sail to never forget to be thankful for good fortune, for everything on the Suvan has it’s price. It’s said his riches still occupy the haunted hull of the Riptide for those bold or brave…or fool enough to find them." Yon finished and blew the last shavings off of his new sea turtle. The wooden rendition was nowhere near perfect, but a hobby is a hobby and Yon was pleased with his work.

"How's that for a tale?" Yon asked smugly, placing the turtle gingerly on the deck. He stretched his now stiff, lackey legs and sprang to his feet. Salt stiffened leggings crackled as he stood.

"What happened to the girl? Is she a ghost?" The youngest brother asked, looking concerned for his own well being. Yon shrugged.

"I don't rightly know at that, minnow. She may be a ghost, or a witch perhaps. Or some other worldly being sent to tempt the unfaithful." His voice cracked as he spoke and he cleared his throat. Tell such tales made his mouth dry.

"Well I guess it was okay, and I'm glad that captain got what he deserved." The girl said, as grudgingly as humanly possible. She turned without another word and walked off Coral Star, having got what she came for. Her brothers, being more naive and care-free, stayed and worried over the story for a few more minutes. Yon took a liking to the rambunctious pair that he gifted them the sea turtle he had been carving, regretting it almost immediately as the two fought over it.

"Nice little bit of hypnotism there, Guppy. Don't think old Pom didn't notice. Certainly added to the story." The kelvic said, laying an affectionate hand on his shoulder. Now that Yon saw him up close, Pom did look a bit more worse for the wear than usual. His coat was ripped in more places than not it seemed and he wore a bandage around his left hand, grey and sodden with grime and blood. Pom noticed his scrutiny and his look became darker. "Damn storm had a mind to kill us all lad. That was one vicious chapter, that was. World out of balance and all."

"In honest work, the food is bad, the wages are low and the work is hard. In piracy, there is plenty of loot, it's fun and easy and we are free and powerful. Who, when presented with this choice, would not choose piracy? The worst that can happen is you can be hanged. No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto."
User avatar
Yon Reefslip
Swashbuckler
 
Posts: 14
Words: 23886
Joined roleplay: April 4th, 2012, 5:21 pm
Location: Aboard Coral Star, Southern Suvan Sea
Race: Human, Svefra
Character sheet
Journal
Plotnotes

In the Sailor's City (OPEN)

Postby Yon Reefslip on April 7th, 2012, 7:29 pm

Yon and Pom sat upon the salt-smoothed deck of the Coral Star contentedly. Neither needed to say much, they had known each other for so long that they had talked about almost everything. Yon was sweating under the heavy glare of the sun, his bandana dark with sweat. He let his mind wander to his family up north, somewhere in the viciously deadly Gut. Methodically scraping the grime of the day to day workings aboard the Coral Star from under his fingernails with the fine edge of his carving knife, he finally spoke up. [color=#00BFFF]“Ya know, I had a mind to take up fishing finally. I done spent a fair coin on a decently sized net for the Star.” He spoke lightly, fishing for conversation. “Had a few casts with it, brought up more salty weeds than fish though.” Yon finished, smiling to himself. He had learned how to fish, obviously, as a Svefra but had usually used one of Della’s old lines, never being interested in the much less skillful netting. But now that he was alone and expected to fend for himself he thought he might need a more efficient manner of gathering his main food source.

“Aye? How big be the net? If this old salt’s memory serves, there be one or two reef spots not a knot from ‘ere.” Pom said, perking up. It was in the kelvic’s blood to fish, both the sailor and the seagull in him. He took a long, rotten toothed pull from his pipe and offered it to Yon. Yon hesitated a moment, but a little buzz couldn’t hurt, so he took a wary pull as well. After the second one he only coughed a bit and quickly rubbed a dirty hand across his eyes, leaving a shining smear that glistened in the sunlight.

“Tis big enough, though whilst thinking of certain reefs down yonder, I think perhaps not too large. You are keen on a little voyage to test our luck, Pomgran Icidus?” Yon began to grow excited, it had been months since last he sailed with Pom, having the Coral Star mended and sailing again. A faint regret at not selling any of his wears creased his sea-smoothed face into a bronzed frown. But there was always tomorrow to sell. Who knows where Pom would be this time tomorrow.

“Aye, it’s high time we remind these fish why they fear our deadly throw, eh?” Pom said, hoisting himself off the deck laboriously. He groaned, frowning in pain, and stretched his back out. After cracking a few dusty joints and letting loose another plume of smoke from his lungs, the old kelvic looked around expectantly. “Ya need some cushioned stool or something, Guppy. This deck be a tad too unforgivin’ to me backside.”

Yon raised an eyebrow at the old sailor. Pomgran Icidus growing soft? Perhaps he was just getting old. “No ya just slowly dying, Pom. Don’t fret though, happens to the best of us.” Before Pom could form a witty retort Yon spat out a sarcastic order. “Hoist sail, ya lazy bottom-feeder.”

Pom looked at Yon with condescending surprise. “Ya giving orders now, eh Gup’?”

Yon threw the old sailor the now unknotted end of a bit of rigging. He smiled to himself as he turned his back on Pom and began to weigh anchor. He and the kelvic had been swapping pranks and sharp jibes since they realized they were fast friends, as many a man of many a culture tend to do. “My ship, my orders to be given, master Icidus. Now won’t you be a good deckhand and hoist the mainsail?”

“Oh-ho, indeed I’ll hoist your mainsail… oh I’ll hoist it.” Pom laughed and began pulling the rope deftly. Once the anchor was pulled and the sail, a creamy white sheet standing proud against the Suvan scape, was unfurled and left flapping restlessly in the wind Yon took his place beside the rudder and Pom stood at the bow, watching for reef or sandbars. Once the wind caught and Yon found his intended direction was indeed windward he left the pull against his balance as Coral Star began to dance her way across the waves. That was the best damn feeling in the world, Yon thought in a deep state of relaxation. Sweet, sweet freedom beckoned like a lusty temptress as he and Pom left the clutter of the Flotilla behind to sail open waters.

*** 1 Hour Later ***


“Ho! Reef to the starboard. Be keen on the rudder, Gup’.” Pom was silhouetted against a foreground of salty Suvan spray, throwing an arm up to protect his face as he yelled back to Yon. For his part, Yon was gripping the rudder with an iron fist and doing Lia Della justice in his navigation of this treacherous reef. His back was sore and his blue eyes stung with spray and salt. This was what they lived for. Despite his aches and pains, Yon was aglow with happiness.

“Aye, how far to the spot then, Pom?” He asked quickly before clamping his mouth shut tight as another bout of Suvan Sea shattered itself against his lean form. Coral Star cut through the water like some timber knife, leaving a foamy wake far behind them.

“Not but a few minutes, best be readying the net, eh Captain?” Pom mocked him good-naturedly with the begrudged title.

Yon beckoned Pom to come take the rudder. After the old man had hands firmly grasping the thick wooden handle, Yon let his free. He clenched and unclenched his fists before shaking the stiffness from his fingers. Rubbing his hands together he leapt the stairs to the second deck in one. Slipping past the sparse living area he had, including a small bed, table, sea chest, and a short bench beside the battered table, Yon reached his pitifully sparse cargo hold. Searching for a few moments in it’s shadowy recesses Yon anxiously hunted the fishing net he had so recently purchased.

Hefting the heavy net over his shoulder, Yon huffed his was back topside. Pom was still steering Coral Star true, as was to be expected. “We’re nearly there, Gup’. But I’ve seen some splashes hereabouts that look suspiciously like fish.” Pom said conspiratorially, nodding at the waters around the Star.

Yon didn’t respond. He was busy knotting a bit of rope and tying the netting’s edge to the rail loops set every few feet along his ship. Groaning with effort, muscles strained as Yon winced and threw the netting overboard. The weighted edge of the net would sink low and the floaters would keep the opposing edge at the surface, or near it. Yon slumped against the rail and reached for one of the rustled loops, catching his breath.

Tiring business, fishing was. The linen of his shirt clung damply to his chest and stomach, curtesy of the sea. Wet footsteps sounded as he made his way to the bow. His mind was full of images of the net coming up full to the brim with tuna, or mackerel. If Avanthal furs don’t sell, maybe fish will. After all Svefrans are always looking for an excuse to hold a feast. Feeling hollow and worn as an old piece of leather, Yon kept his gaze down at the water. In these parts it was important to watch for high reef.

“Steady as she goes, Pom. There be water someplace back there, if your throat be parched.” Yon said helpfully, indicating a tackle box filled with odds and ends he commonly used topside. He caught Pom’s eye and they both smiled simultaneously as they felt a pull on their port side. Fish in the netting.

Yon had them leave the reef area before setting about the strenuous task of hoisting the net aboard. After doing to the waters calmed and he was able to let Coral Star drift along serenely as he and Pom wrestled with the net. It took them the better part of half an hour and a fair few calluses to hoist their catch aboard. After their work was done Yon stood with hands clasped behind his head, rasping for air and Pom hunched over his knees, face red.

There was much flopping and grey, slimy flesh wriggling coming from within the net. Mackarel by the looks of them. Then Yon’s heart fightingly skipped a beat as his weary eyes set upon something greenish-brown. A sea turtle! Surely a bad omen to hoist within his net the very pardisa of his pod! He quickly set about pulling the netting into an orderly fashion. Yon became angry at the lethargic way his body moved, after his mind had been so suddenly jolted by the turtle. Pom eventually joined in and seeing the turtle, muttered.

“Ruddy Svefra and their superstitious ways.” He rolled grey eyes skyward, as if sharing a joke with the gods.

“Don’t mock me my beliefs, shapeshifter. You’ll be lucky I didn’t toss the whole lot back.” Yon retorted quickly. He had just managed to find the nearest edge to the turtle and was now trying to navigate his way to it.

“No, no ‘course not. You ain’t near prosperous enough to be that superstitious.” Pom said slyly. He hid a grin by bending over the nearest fish and untangling the net from it’s fins.

Yon felt the smooth ridged edge of the turtle shel as the beast tried vainly to stroke it’s way through the air and out of his grasp. It’s beak-like mouth gaped open in what Yon could only presume was fear. Yon pressed his forehead against the beast’s shell gently, willing himself to feel the life within it. She was young and not yet fully grown, since she was about five hands wide. But give her a few years and she would become as wide as three men side by side. “Swim free, me friend. Perhaps you will forgive me for pulling you from your home.” He whispered next to the green head of the scared animal. Then he cast her into the sea as gently as he could manage from the rail of his casinor.

“Right, well on your way to a proper fisherman, Gup’. But if you throw that damn net back in with intent to test your skills again, I’ll gut you right here on your own blooming ship.” Pom said, pointing an arthritic, cracked and scarred finger at his Yon.

Yon stared at him a moment. He could not contemplate another cast today. The sun was nearing the edge of the horizon and they were both aching with weariness. Despite the less than full catch, Yon was pleased with his quick aptitude at the net.

“No more’s for us. Turn rudder for the Flotilla and a nice relaxing dinner is my mind.” Yon breathed as he pushed the rudder away from himself. He pulled the jib rigging and the thick beam swung, tacking Coral Star to the wind. The tangy sea wind brought new life into yon as he felt it tickle his bare skin. The sudden breeze kissed his cheeks and danced through his scarf and hair merrily.
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"In honest work, the food is bad, the wages are low and the work is hard. In piracy, there is plenty of loot, it's fun and easy and we are free and powerful. Who, when presented with this choice, would not choose piracy? The worst that can happen is you can be hanged. No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto."
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Yon Reefslip
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Location: Aboard Coral Star, Southern Suvan Sea
Race: Human, Svefra
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In the Sailor's City (OPEN)

Postby Nalu on April 10th, 2012, 12:49 am

Image


From the deep blue of the ocean, grown darker as the sun descends to kiss the horizon, a creature lurks in the depths. Though not clearly visible from above, the dark of the flesh hiding the large, mythical form. As Yon and his comrade began their journey back to the familiar pod, the creature followed close. The water crested and splashed as a long, triangular, dorso fin crested the surface. Yon would see the large form of a shark, one that only existed in mythology as it swam parallel to their craft. Yon could catch the glint of the unnaturally dark eyes and felt a tingle not brought by the sea. A flash of reflection was induced as he was gifted the following lores:

When fighting, honor means little if you are the one to walk away without missing limbs.

Kids love a good story

Kids are great starters in hypnosis

Wood carved turtles

Never hoist your net next to the jagged edges of coral

Superstition: A turtle in the net, could mean you'll be in the net next.


Before Yon had the opportunity to alert Pom of the shark, the massive fish had already sunk below the surface of the water and out of sight. Perhaps Yon would see the shark again in the future. But when that happens again, Yon will be stronger in these skills:

Cutlas combat 2 points

Storytelling 3 points

Hypnotism 2 points

Sculpture(wood) 2 Points

Sailing 2 points

Fishing 3 points


Note, if there are any questions about why I gave you what, please feel free to message me. Have a great morning/day/night.
Nalu
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