An Age of Sails and Free Men

"Do I get a weapon?"

G: *Points at her* “....good question.” *He quickly wanders off and she hears some rummaging* “Sword or Rifle?”

"I'd say rifle but I've no idea how to use it"

G: “I can show you”
*He walks out holding a large musket*

"Alright"

"Get a hammock, and sling it aft, near the powder magazine. have you ever sailed before?"

G: “come on then” *He hands her the rifle and walks away*

OOC: slow replies cos I’m in a car

—

Elf: *he nods* “Only as a prisoner. I will endure and adapt”

she follows him

*He leads her to bow, which looks out to the open sea*
“Okay, ready your rifle. Give it your best guess”

Khalista: "I wanted you for your combat ability. Get weapons, and train with them."

she looks at it for a moment, unsure where to begin

Elf: *Nods* “Location?”

—

Gideon: “Shoulder” *He mimes the action, expecting her to copy*

she follows his orders

*He corrects her posture and gets to show her to load, aim, and fire properly*

Khalista: "Weapons are in the fore lockers, you train on the weatherdeck."

Elf: “My thanks”
*He turns to leave*

Khalista: *Walks up to the ships wheel, and rests one hand on the topmost spur*

*A few minutes later the elf steps onto the weather with a plethora of weapons, everything from axes and swords to boarding pikes and spears. With him are a pair of older men, members of the crew who have served Khalista for as long as she’s owned the ship. The trio arrange the weapons on the deck and get to showing him the ropes, with a sword or axe he proves to be their match, his physiological differences garner him a large advantage against the slower men. With pikes his form is severely lacking, as he often tries to go on the offensive only to have the men get close and ‘kill’ him. After about an hour they’ve advanced to spears and it’s clear that the elf could fight on, even when caked in sweat he still looks as if he could run a marathon. The other men of which about 7 have joined, all look ragged and worn out due to the near constant activity, despite all this the Elf seems somewhat popular even though no one can understand him*

*Khalista leans on the ships wheel, watching the elf. A few other crew members joining in draw her eye, some of whom return it. She smiles, seeing his combat ability, it should be worth the investment she made.*

*With everybody having been worn out by the sparring, the Elf decides to end their little session and starts carting the Weapons back to their lockers. Before returning to the weather deck and looking to Khalista to see if she approves*

*She nods her approval. Then, seeing the last few crates being brought aboard from the dockside, she 'adresses' her crew* "ALRIGHT THEN YOU HAPLESS DOGS! MAKE READY!"

*The deck becomes a hive of activity, as the jenny is readied for departure. Guns lashed, cargo stowed, sails checked.*

OOC: You saw nothing!

*The Elf Smiles to himself and gets to doing his best to stay out of way, knowing next to nothing about sailing or his place in the crew*

*Calls from around the deck ring out* "SQUARE!" "SQUARE!" "SQUARE!" After the last man calls out. Khalista proclaims. "LOOSE THE SAIL!" The ropes holding the knots tight are pulled simultaneously, and the sail unfurls, catches the wind, and snaps tight. The jenny, suddenly under power, lurches forwards.*

*The Elf is initially surprised by the motion but quickly calms down, opting to lean against the railing and watch the sea*

OOC: Feel free to take control and skip

OOC: is gideon not gonna react to this?

OOC: Ah Yes, him...Forgot! Sorry


Gideon: *Who has been showing thing how to shoot, looks across to Khalista*
“Heading north?”
*With ships being slow to accelerate, Khalista has time to chat*

Khalista: "What's it to you?"

Gideon: “Never been North, I’ve heard there are ‘bear people’ up there”

Khalista: "Ursine tribes, you heard right."

G: “They sounded pretty interesting, mind if we tag along”

Khalista: "You gonna buy anything here to trade with them? or just come along for the fun of the exercise?"

G: “For the fun of it, no harm in a little holiday to some far off places I’ve never seen”

Khalista: "No harm at all, other than dragging your purse onto the street and murdering it."

*He chuckles* “I’m not that impulsive”

Khalista: "Well get moving. I'm not waiting."

“I’ll catch up, what’s your heading?”

"Making for the neck."

*He nods* “I’ll see you there”

"I'll wait in janua for a week. A day later and i'll be gone north."

“Janua. Got it”

*He turns and starts bellowing orders to his crew, having them ready the ship for departure*

*the jenny slides from port. She's a beauty of a ship. Her waterline painted blue, and gold gilt trappings across her captains quarters windows. As she navigates the jenny around the harbor wall, her first mate comes to stand next to her. He's a tall man, with the dark skin of a southman, stripped to the waist in the noon sun.*

First mate: "Why are you bringing that man with us?" *His accent speaks of far away lands, of sand and sun.*

Khalista: "The elf or the letch?"

First mate: "I've seen the elf fight, I understand that. I mean the pirate."

Khalista: "He's got a ship. And the Bears are pissy at the best of times."

First mate: "Ah... I thought for a moment you-"

Khalista: "No thankyou. I prefer men with at least some romantic capability."

*He smirks, remembering some... choice encounters.*

Khalista: "Remembering how you ended up on this boat?"

First mate: "And every time since then."

Khalista: "That knot is coming undone. Go over and tighten it for me. Show me that muscle of yours in action."

*He laughs aloud, but goes over and does it. A little more theatrically than perhaps necessary.*

*The elf walks up and stands next to her* “That is your mate?”

Khalista: "A few times."

“Did not think mistress allowed relations with crew”

Khalista: "Only rules on this ship are the ones i make."

“What are the rules?”

Khalista: "Most of it is common sense. Don't kill, don't fight, don't steal. From other crew members that is. Other than that, show me respect, show my first mate, and the bosun respect. Don't annoy the cook, and fight like a devil when i ask it."

“Good rules”

Khalista: "Follow them, and we'll have no issues."

*The Elf nods*
“If possible would you learn me your tongue?”