Completed No Port During the Storm

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Center of scholarly knowledge and shipwrighting, Zeltiva is a port city unlike any other in Mizahar. [Lore]

No Port During the Storm

Postby Karyk on April 20th, 2017, 6:15 pm

Timestamp: Spring 40, 517 AV

Karyk, and the rest of the shipyard were gathered at the entrance, waiting to get in and get to work. But management had been there waiting on them, and no one seemed to know why. The shipwrights, carpenters, sailmakers, smiths, and every other member of the shipyard was getting restless, more agitated than normal due to the hunger every single one of them felt. Food was more rare, fishing was bad, the woods incredibly dangerous, and prices rising. Karyk was still sore, particularly his left leg, from the special job he did for the shipyard a tenday and a half ago. He'd nearly died from that, for nothing extra, just to show his loyalty and do the job that was needed done.

Management called up all the team foreman and conferred with them. Again, everyone was agitated, many people yelling for them to speak to everyone. Karyk saw his own foreman flinch in surprise at what was told to him, followed by a temper that was never seen on the man's face. He was very near to punching his boss in the face. He stormed through the crowd toward Karyk, and the rest of their crew. He grunted, "Come with me," and moved away from the crowd. They followed, knowing something bad was about to happen.

As the moved away from the shipyard and the crowd, they heard many, much more angry yells. He led them to a some crates on the street, and they sat down around them, while he stood, his face angry, sad, disappointed. "There's no easy way to say this guys. But I have to fire two of you. The shipyard can't afford to keep everyone hired, not with food shortages right now. Every team is having to do this equally. As your foreman, I'm required to stay on, and choose who else stays. Stefio must stay, he's the only smith. Lecard stays, he's the most experienced of the wrights. And the final goes to.."

Everyone knew he was about to pick Mynnie, being the second most experienced. But she spoke up first, "I take myself out of the choices. I didn't want you all to find out this way, but its out now... I'm... Pregnant, and it's Lecard's. We're gonna get hitched soon. So I won't be able to work soon anyways."

And with that, all of the dread in the moment was gone, as everyone broke into surprised smiles, congratulating the two, Lecard and Mynnie meeting for a kiss, then beaming proudly. Once the festiveness wore off, "Then that makes it easy. I'm sorry Karyk, but I need to pick Dorrin. You both were hired on together, but he has kids to feed, and you don't. Do know that if we are able to hire on again in the future, you'll be first choice. I hate having to do this, but its the only way for the shipyard to keep open."

Karyk had a gut feeling the whole time that this was coming, but it was still stunning to him to hear it. There was bitterness. He'd given his entire life to this job. His family had spent much of his youth training him for it. And with Mynnie leaving for her pregnancy and marriage, that meant he was the only one being laid off from his team. He felt betrayed, let down, but most of all, angry. Just angry. He smashed his fist against the crate he sat on, cracking the lid, and stormed off. "Karyk, wai--" but he was already gone.
Last edited by Karyk on May 17th, 2017, 1:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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No Port During the Storm

Postby Karyk on April 26th, 2017, 7:12 am

Karyk slammed his door behind him loudly, not caring how many neighbors might comment on it in the future, as he stepped into his home, his eyes aflame with anger. This was whale shyke, laying off good workers did nothing but hurt businesses. Poor times is when people needed to work the most. He flung his pack on his bed, kicked his chair across the room, really wanting to just destroy something. There in front of him was a decently made, pine table. It stuck out in the run down little shack as the finest piece of woodwork in here. It was a gift from his foreman when he earned his way onto the crew. The foreman built it himself, teaching Karyk as he went. Raegher was insightful, talented, and patient, but right now in Karyk's eyes, he was just management.

Karyk unrolled his axe bundle onto his bed, grabbed his hatchet and powerfully swung it downward into the sturdy table. The blade sunk deep in the wood with a loud thunk. Karyk yanked it free, and immediately rotated it into another downward swing, enjoying the cathartic actions. This time it sank deep and a loud crack was heard. Pulled free, he swung it again, and the table broke in half loudly, and that's all Karyk needed as he went into a frenzied rage, chopping at it over and over until it was barely more than kindling. He was still swinging angrily when his door opened, and yet he didn't even notice.

An angry woman's voice boomed in the house, one he'd not heard since he was a teenager, "Karyk Sorryn Southwind, you put that axe down now or so help me I'll tan that hide redder than when we caught you with Lacee Goldtrout." There in the doorway was an older, fiery haired woman with eyes of anger that would make Laviku think twice about splashing her with a wave. It was his mom. Karyk was frozen, all of his anger instantly gone, being thrown back to his youth so easily. He stood up straight, and put his hatchet into the axe roll and stood there, head hung, waiting to be admonished by the tiny woman. He expected her to grab him by the ear and pull him down to her level. He watched as she stormed over, arm pulled back as if ready to slap him.

But she wrapped him in a loving embrace. "I'm so sorry lovebug. I just heard what happened. Mama's here." Karyk melted in that hold, nothing more than a little kid who'd gotten in a fight. The hot, stinging tears flowed freely now, quietly, with some dignity, they fell into his mother red curls. Once they finally stopped, she pushed him onto the bed, sitting him down, while she grabbed his chair and parked it right in front of him. "Alright lovebug, tears are shed. No more. Time to move forward, yes?"

Karyk nodded, and immediately found himself thankful to have her as his mother. "Now just listen for a bit. But you need to leave Zeltiva." He was shocked, his eyes wide, and moved to protest, but a stern cock of his mother's head stopped him. He chose to not interrupt. "You need to leave this city behind. You're better than this town. You need to see the world lovebug. The good, the bad, and the ugly of it all. Right now, you're a cutter sloop in a small pond."

She leaned back, pulling the wineskin that always hung from her belt, and took a big swig, "Before I met your father, and before we settled down here, I traveled all over." She looked out the window, then continued, "I was born to a slave family in Sunberth, owned by a wealthy criminal family. When I was ten years old, all I knew was how to be someone's property, how vile men can be. My parents were broken people, they had no fight or spirit left in their eyes. They weren't even human any more, not where it counted. But that year, famine hit hard, much like it is now. But Sunberth isn't as nice as it is here. See, this family made their wealth from stealing food from caravans and ships, and selling to people, for the most part. When the food ran out, the town went into chaos, they attempted to storm the family's home. But as with the proper wealthy in Sunberth, they had built sturdy walls and paid and kept fed their guards, so nothing came of it. At first."

"But it was a siege, in a sense. They never let anyone in or out. And it didn't take long for the privileged family to burn through all of their food. Eventually the guards abandoned their posts, still the siege held. They had no need to storm the place. Poor people always know hunger, the rich don't. So they knew it was only a matter of time. But there was a source of food left. The owning family ate my mother first, for she was a plump woman. My dad didn't even cry, get angry, fight back. When hunger struck again, they ate him too. And eventually, they came for me too. Thankfully those years working in the kitchens made me skilled with a knife, and I killed them both, bathed in their blood. I finally felt alive, human for the first time in my life. I was now free. I opened the doors to the compound, and a few members came in, so desiring for food, they didn't even notice the blood drenched street rat. I slipped on out, vowing to never let anyone take away my freedom again."

"I was taken in by a gang, for everyone in Sunberth is part of a gang in some way or another. As I grew older, I knew I needed to get out. But my gang had just recently delved into the slave trade as well. With the help of a few friends, we usurped the gang, freed the slaves, and left town for Syliras, where slavery was illegal and food is plentiful. It was the promised land. What we didn't take into account was how dangerous the journey there would be for a bunch of unprepared refugees. By the time I came across the first Knight on the Kabrin Road, it was just me, starving and barely walking."

"I was a teenager at that point, taken in by a Knight family. That's where I first met your father and his sister, though it would be years later until we came together. They taught me of the gods, taught me how to fight and be strong, the values of a good family, and to always protect your loved ones tooth and nail. They taught me how to survive. And once I was of age, I left again. After having seen the stark difference between Syliras and Sunberth, I needed to see the rest of the world. And I did. I made many friends along the way, lost some, saved some. And when I felt it was time to settle down, I returned to Syliras, grabbed your father by the ear, and we moved to Zeltiva. And the rest is history."


She patted him on the knee, then pulled up her sleeve to show him a brand she had on her shoulder, "Never be a slave to anything. You're not a slave to the shipyard, Karyk. You're your own man, and my son. Go see the world. Find someone to love, and do it right. There's more to the world than this salt riddled town."

Karyk nodded, "But ma, if all of those people died traveling to Syliras, what hope is there for me? I nearly died the other day, and that was only a bell or two from the Pass. What about Natya and all the little ones?"

She nodded at him, "Well luckily for you, I've been keepin' my ear to the ground. An old friend just came into town, and he's settling down. He's got a cart, some oxen, and other supplies. Sell this dump, give some money to your sister, we'll make sure they get by, and go buy that stuff from him. He's over in the Old Quarter near the pass, you'll recognize him by his absolutely ridiculous hat. Just... Don't travel alone lovebug, it really is dangerous out there, more than you know. Get some friends or even strangers to go with you. Get to know them better. There's nothing more dear in this world than the relationships you build."

She stood up, looked down at the shards of wood from the table, bent over and picked one up, tossing it to him. "Never forget." And with that, she left. He looked down at the wood in his hands, seeing the words Raegher had carved.

'Welcome to the family'

He sighed. She was right. And he knew a few people who might want to come, and would be useful. But for now, he needed to get ready, motivated by having something to do. Some way of moving forward.
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No Port During the Storm

Postby Karyk on April 29th, 2017, 7:47 pm

Once Karyk composed himself enough, he grabbed his pack and head out for Old Quarter. He wondered just how silly of a hat this newly arrived man wore. Karyk looked all around the quarter, never seeing any more than normal bandanas and scarves, and certainly no oxen. Plenty of bustle and hustle around here, but he could tell by the gaunt looks on nearly everyone's faces that many had lost their jobs, and had been hungry for a while. He wondered how many would leave if they had the chance. How many might join him if he gave them the opportunity? There was a certain safety in numbers, that was for sure. But more responsibility too. More people to possibly let down if he'd failed in any fashion.

Before he could mull over that point though, he watched a short man walk around the corner. And while he was short, his hat was anything but. It was tall, rounded, with dangling things hanging off the top, and was various hues of blues and pinks. Clearly this was his man. Even more clearly was just how obscenely ridiculous his hat was. What sort of person wears that? Were there places out there where that was normal? What sort of place would that be like? Probably insane.

Karyk strode up to the man, who looked awfully frustrated, red in the face, huffing around. "Hello." The man just ignored him, walking in circles around the intersection, Karyk followed him, "Sir, hello." The man threw up his hands, getting visibly angry, "Guy in the hat, stop movin'!" The man stopped moving and smiled brightly, "You like my hat?"

Karyk was caught off guard by the question, "Um...err... it suits you."

The guy was positively beaming, "It does, doesn't it? I like you. Even with your drab clothes that match this bore of a city. Where's the color? Where's the change? Why does everything seem so... straight forward? It's preposterous. I mean you look like a builder or something. Sure, that might've been fashionable a few years ago, but nowadays certainly not."

"I am a buil----"

"Oh of course, I know what it is! This place is so far from Alvadas, it takes a few years for culture to catch up. How retro. I suppose that's nice too. You definitely pull it off too. Especially with that scruffy beard. How do you make your hands appear so calloused though? You must teach me that trick."

Karyk, unsure how to answer, "Uh.. uh... carving wood by the bay. Are you the man with the oxen. I believe my mom knows you, her name is..."

"Really? Wood and sea air? Interesting. And yes, I know Katya, I'd recognize her eyes anywhere. Your beard has a slight tinge of her fiery red hair too. Same nostrils too. And ears. And hips. Are you her son then?"

Karyk nodded, put off guard by all of these man's observations, considering no one had made such ones before now. "I, uh, yes." He stuck out his hand, to shake. The man ignored it and moved past the arm, embracing Karyk tightly. Karyk's eyes fluttered around, as people were now staring at this garish man in a crazy hat hugging a shipwright. Karyk patted the man on the back lightly, before they separated. "So what can I do for the son of Katya?"

Karyk needed a moment. He was not used to how this man was acting. He tried to shake it off, act as if it didn't bother him. "Um yes, so. I'm Karyk. I understand you arrived with a cart and some oxen and other such supplies? I'm looking at traveling away from here, and was wondering if you'd be interested in selling these things to me, assuming they are in good condition."

The man's eyes lit up, he even bounced a little, "Oh yes, that's wonderful. Bob and Susan would love that. Remus might be a bit grumpy about it at first, but he'd come around. Nephela will never like you, but she doesn't like anyone. Come come, I'll introduce you to them."

Karyk quickly realized that this man might have more animals than he'd intended to take on. This might be beyond his skill, considering he'd not had much experience with animals aside from a dog as a child. With all the starvation in Zeltiva, many people couldn't afford to keep pets. He followed the man, noticing that aside from the hat, he seemed to dress quite sensibly and practically. Although if he'd just arrived, that might just be from traveling. That was when Karyk realized that he still didn't even know the man's name. Nor had he given his own.

The man led them to a grassy patch just inside of the patch, and that's where Karyk saw his potential purchases. There were two oxen loosened from their yoke, munching on the grass, dark brown coats. There was a large carriage setting nearby, large enough to house four people inside, two drivers, with room on top for cargo. In the driver's seat sat a large fawn colored dog, keeping watch over everything. A man approached the cart, and the dog kept its gaze on him. But then the fourth animal, Nephela, Karyk assumed, from her description appeared. She was a brown donkey that was braying loudly and chasing after the man until he was far enough from their carriage. The man was cursing but refusing to get closer, before he walked off. Nephela went back to grazing, and the dog, Remus, relaxed a bit.

His canine eyes watched lazily as his master and Karyk approach. "Here she is. Built by a drunken construction work, carved by warp addicted stone carver. She's a beaut and quite sound and sturdy. Those two there are Bob and Susan, brother and sister, short for Bobertha and Susannick. They are quite calm and easy to care for. Make sure to stop midday for them to get water and feed, and don't worry about tying them up. They won't wander off, just keep them safe. They know the proper pace, so don't rush them. Remus up there can be a grumpy fellow from time to time, but he makes a fine guard dog. He'll protect you and others with the carriage, as well as the oxen. You'll need to bring him some feed or share your rations with him. Nephela is especially grumpy. Mostly just leave her be. She'll run off anyone that isn't with the cart as you saw, and hates being touched or pet. She'll keep up with the oxen just fine, and will feed and sleep as she pleases. She bites and kicks, so watch out. All in all, a good group, mostly low maintenance. Just treat them right and they will treat you right."

Karyk and the odd man moved closer under the constant watch of Remus. Nephela came around and glared at Karyk. He made sure to not move in her direction, but she seemed to tolerate his presence while the man was there. There was a look in her eye though, that seemed to be hoping he'd try something. Karyk moved around the cart, opened it up, peering inside, eyeballing the structure of it. He crouched underneath, eyeing the wheels and axles, looking for cracks, warping, anything. But it seemed in good condition. He didn't care for the adornment, mostly ivy and squirrels carved into the woodwork, but he could live with it.

He stood up, finding Nephela uncomfortably close to him, breathing on his back. He turned to the man, "I'll take it, all of it. What do you want for it?" The man clapped him on the back, "Let's take this to your favorite bar, and we'll talk about it." Karyk smiled. A favorite past time of any Zeltivan was introducing foreigners to kelp beer. "It would be my pleasure."
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No Port During the Storm

Postby Karyk on June 12th, 2017, 4:23 am

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Karyk
Skills
Observation: 1
Socialization: 1
Lores
Zeltiva Shipyard: Layoffs during extreme food shortages
Painful Memory: Fired from his first and only job
Mom: Born a slave in Sunberth
Mom: Had to kill as a child
Mom: Freed slaves in Sunberth
Miscellaneous


 
Notes and Comments
CS Checkmarked: ✓
CS Reviewed by Me: ✓
Previous Season Expenses Paid (Spring 517): ✓


Bleh, a terrible solo by me, but it hit the points that needed hit.
Follow your heart, and the plot will follow.
User avatar
Karyk
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Posts: 326
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Joined roleplay: April 4th, 2017, 4:34 pm
Location: Zeltiva
Race: Human
Character sheet
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