28 replies to this topic

[Sareth]

"Should be careful, templar" Valya said simply to Malvolio, as he shook off the creature she had killed, before turning away. Casually wiping the blood from her face with a sleeve, she retrieved and cleaned her sword before returning it to the sheath across her back.

 

She then set about clearing the ship, grabbing the slain creatures one by one and easily tossing them over the sides. She was almost disappointed with them: for all their viciousness—and even a degree of cunning—the creatures really hadn't been much as opponents, for all that some of their number had had trouble with them.

 

Seeing the one-eyed Venator at an oar, she turned to Eydis: "If anyone else is tired, I could take a turn rowing" she offered. Her blood still felt hot after the battle; she could use burning off some energy.

 

***

 

"Everyone intact? I have some bandages and ointments, if anyone needs them. You needn't use your own supplies - you'll need those for the long road ahead of you. Luckily the beasts didn't knock them overboard."

 

Allya gave the captain a grateful nod, and went to the indicated crate at once. Retrieving a handful each of bandages and salve, she headed first for the Templar who had been jumped by one of the creatures—who seemed, to her eyes, to have received the worst injury.

 

"Want me to take a look at that?" she asked the scarred man, gesturing towards the bleeding bite on his neck.

[Burger Warrior]

Korvarl let out a heavy sigh as the last creature toppled over, the armored dwarf falling to one knee. His breathing was a little labored - it had been quite some time since he’d fought… well, anything - but he was unharmed. Mostly, he realized, wincing at the bruises forming on his back. He was definitely going to feel those in the morning…

 

"Mr Silvershield, are you all right?”

 

He blinked, glancing over his hefty pauldron at Elnira. It belatedly occurred to him she was concerned for him. Silvershield offered her a wry - and a little relieved - grin, as he got to his feet and made his aching way over. “Aye, lass, I’ll be fine. You seem alright yerself.” Korvarl noted, sizing the smaller dwarf up. “...Y’feelin’-?”

 

“Thank you so much!"

 

The thanks caught the dwarf somewhat off-guard, causing his cheeks to light up. His short beard wasn’t quite thick enough to hide it. “E-eheh, take it yer feelin’ fine, then.” He mumbled, his gaze wandering from hers in embarrassment. “It wasn’t a problem at all, lass. The, ah, savin’ you an’ all.”

 

Sure showed that yellow-bellied human… where the hell is he, anyway? Korvarl thought, glancing around when he realized he never saw the man fighting in their little skirmish.

[Dalton Westmoore]

"Should be careful, templar."

 

Malvolio stared at Valya and was about to give thanks for her assistance, when the Elf woman came over to him with medical supplies.

 

"Want me to take a look at that?"

 

The templar nodded, and sat down on the deck so she could have better access to his injury.

 

---

 

"Everyone intact? I have some bandages and ointments, if anyone needs them. You needn't use your own supplies - you'll need those for the long road ahead of you. Luckily the beasts didn't knock them overboard."

 

Huo Shiye made his way over to the box and looked through it, retrieving a needle and thread that were supposed to be used for serious injuries. 

 

He then set about repairing his robe; he could have his injury tended to later.

[Maverick-Werewolf]

Eydis turned to Garandros and he asked, "Have you ever seen these creatures before?"

 

The viking woman shrugged. "I have not, I admit. I've heard tales of such creatures, but never had the good fortune of encountering them so I have my own tales to tell," she said with a smile. "They seemed very clever... But I suppose many monsters are, though you would know better than I, Venator."

 

---

 

Seeing the one-eyed Venator at an oar, she turned to Eydis: "If anyone else is tired, I could take a turn rowing" she offered.

 

Eydis shrugged. "I'm sure some of them wouldn't mind." She indicated toward one with an injured shoulder and said, "Hragnor! Take a rest. This warrior will take your place. Go tend to your wound."

 

The viking with the bleeding shoulder, Hragnor, breathed a long sigh but stood, looking relieved, though he didn't want to admit it. "Thank you, friend," he said to Valya, leaving his place so she could row for him instead.

 

---

 

Hragnor went straight to the crate of medical supplies, where he fished out some ointment and a bandage. He saw Huo sewing his sleeve with the needle and thread, and arched a brow. "That is meant for wounds, stranger," he said, "not simple clothing. The thread is strong and valuable. It's disrespectful to waste it."

[Sareth]

"I do not believe we had a chance to introduce ourselves back in the tavern. I am Allya" she said, as she gently cleaned the blood from the Templar's neck wound, pursing her lips slightly as the extent of it was revealed.

 

"It is messy, but it does not look terribly dangerous so long as it does not get infected" she said. Of course, that was what the ointment was for, and she dabbed it on to the circle of puncture marks with a delicate touch. The dressing was a bit harder, as it took her a few moments to find a way to tie it on so that it wouldn't impede the Templar's ability to breathe, but all told she finished treating and wrapping the wound rather quickly.

 

"There, all set. Just try not to get anything else stuck in your neck for a few days" she said lightly, with a hint of a grin.

 

***

 

"I'm sure some of them wouldn't mind. Hragnor! Take a rest. This warrior will take your place. Go tend to your wound."

 

"Thank you, friend."

 

"Any time" Valya replied, with a nod, before taking the man's vacated seat.

 

Her initial few strokes were too fast—out of beat with the others. Focusing, she did her best to will her heart, and the rest of her, slower—calmer. Even though she had wiped it off, she felt like she could still smell the blood—or maybe it was just her imagination. But she couldn't afford a lapse: not here, not now. And so she put all of herself into the rhythm of the oar: forward-back, forward-back... each stroke bringing them that tiny bit closer to their destination.

[Dalton Westmoore]

Agethar decided to make his way over to Caiden. Perhaps the other Venator knew what those creatures had been.

 

However, he overheard Eydis speaking to Garandros about them:

 

 "I have not, I admit. I've heard tales of such creatures, but never had the good fortune of encountering them so I have my own tales to tell, they seemed very clever... But I suppose many monsters are, though you would know better than I, Venator."

 

"There are many monsters that are still mysterious to us," Agethar said as he abruptly joined the conversation "though I'd think that we'd know what those things were. Nasty lil' oar-thieves."

 

---

 

"I do not believe we had a chance to introduce ourselves back in the tavern. I am Allya."

 

"Malvolio," the Templar said, trying not to interfere with the Elf's work.

 

"It is messy, but it does not look terribly dangerous so long as it does not get infected. There, all set. Just try not to get anything else stuck in your neck for a few days."

 

"Thank you, Miss." Malvolio said as he stood, touching the bandage lightly before looking over the side of the boat.

 

"I must be losing my edge," he said, more to himself than to Allya "if those things were able to best me so easily..."

 

---

 

Huo Shiye was putting the finishing touches to his robe when one of the vikings - Hragnor -  strode up to him.

 

"That is meant for wounds, stranger, not simple clothing. The thread is strong and valuable. It's disrespectful to waste it."

 

The priest stood and made a small bow as he returned the needle and thread to the man.

 

"I am sorry," he said as he straightened "but I do not have my own and am not sure when next we will find a place that sells such things."

 

[Sephsekla]

"There are many monsters that are still mysterious to us, though I'd think that we'd know what those things were. Nasty lil' oar-thieves."

 

Garandros grunted his agreement, concentrating on a spot of congealed blood on his blade as he continued cleaning.

 

"They were intelligent on some level," he mused, as much to himself as anyone. "Taking the oars is a strategic move, not an instinctive one."

 

With a final wipe he concluded polishing the blade and placed it back in the sheath on his back.

 

"I don't like it."

 

------

 

“It wasn’t a problem at all, lass. The, ah, savin’ you an’ all.”

 

Elnira smiled, and then abruptly her face fell.

 

"Oh no! Where did Mr Whiskers go?"

 

She started to look around her for the cat, which had obviously slipped away during the skirmish.

[Burger Warrior]

Elnira smiled at Korvarl, filling the dishonored dwarf with a tide of warm feelings.

 

And then, quite abruptly, her face fell. Nay, it plummeted.

 

"Oh no! Where did Mr Whiskers go?"

 

Oh fer the love of the gods… Silvershield barely restrained a groan. Women.

 

Still, Korvarl sheathed his axe and followed after Elnira as she started to look around her for the cat. Evidently, it - he - had slipped away during the skirmish… to somewhere. For a boat with no crannies whatsoever, this cat had somehow managed to find one.

 

“The hel?” The dwarf grumbled, bushy eyebrows furrowing. “Where could it- er, he go?” He wondered aloud, peering beneath the rowers as the ship began moving again. It was the only place he could think of where the cat could hide...

[Maverick-Werewolf]

Everything on the longship steadily calmed down and resumed its previous serenity as they rowed onward, with Caiden and Valya now gladly taking the place of two of the vikings. Huo sewed up the gash torn in his robe, although it became bloodstained regardless, as he had done nothing to staunch the bleeding. Elnira found Mr. Whiskers before Korvarl did, no doubt frustrating him a bit - he had been hiding under the seat of a viking, throwing wary stares around the ship.

 

The remaining days on the river passed as peacefully as anyone could have pleased, with things remaining much the same as they had been when they left port. Everyone interacted little, except for the dwarves, and Ingi paced around nervously now and again, seeming to keep his eyes on everyone until Eydis told him to get over himself and take a seat again.

 

By night, there was little moonlight by which to see, as the moon steadily waned ever smaller... much to the relief of Valya and Garandros. Whenever darkness fell, however, the ship seemed on edge. Everyone spoke even less, and some of the adventurers - Caiden especially - went to the farthest corners they could find of the ship that already lacked in privacy, trying to interact as little as possible. Darkness brought out the worst in everyone - and Eydis and her vikings were always on high alert for any kind of ambush.

 

But none came. Their journey was blessed by good weather, with plenty of sun each day. And, soon enough, they rowed into the ports of the great Imperial city of Rimegard...

 

((Area transition: ZONE - Rimegard))