Changing Winds (Semi-closed RP)

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Changing Winds (Semi-closed RP)

Postby Dahlia Atrois » Fri Sep 02, 2005 1:49 pm

The sun beat down on the Rehal's Sunset, which shimmered and gleamed in its regalia as a gentile but steady breeze propelled it on toward the port city of Mohar. Still a good two weeks away, they just passed the northern peninsula of Agnea and were making good time in spite of the strength of the sun, which caused the crew to drip like snowmen in August. The heat came off them and the ship in swirling vapor that distorted the vision and made the desire for freshwater greater exponentially with each passing hour. Captain Pavonperas had given strict rations for each crewmember, yet he had not anticipated this hot spell in western Agnea’s early spring season to last so long. The quiet rush of the wind and the ship cutting through the waves was shattered by a crewman running topside to the captain frantically screaming, “FIRE! Fire below!”

“WHAT?! How is that possible? Where man… show me! Now!” Bekka hollered at the man while throttling him by the shoulders to refocus him. The man froze, blinked but came to his wits a moment too late, for Bekka calling him useless shoved him aside; glancing around for Dahlia to give her authority,

Where in all Hells are you when I need you? No time… I’ll make due.

Ordering the crew to ready themselves to haul buckets of water from the Argyle Sea the captain hurled himself down the staircase and below deck to examine the state of his baby first hand. Yet at the third level, he was engulfed in smoke and a definitely abnormal heat. Then, as if out of Hell itself, comes a body eyeless, melting utterly disfigured and engulfed in flames screaming for help, knocks him into the left wall in its haste to flee the smoke-ridden hell. Bekka stood in utter shock and disbelief of what he just witnessed. Blood severed limbs and heads were all nothing to that molten eyeless face. Shaking himself to reality, he heard a woman grunting and coughing.

Dahlia! No wonder I didn’t see her before.

He dashed toward the noise removing his cape to aid her in putting out the fire.
Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.
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Postby Dahlia Atrois » Mon Sep 12, 2005 1:50 pm

The heat of the flames and stench of sweat and burning flesh surrounded Dahlia as she attempted to quench the flames with a soggy blanket, slowily making her way to a trapped crew member who suddenly let out a virulent howl as a burning hamock fell on his person engulfing him in flames. He darts through the flames, still covered by the burning shroud, barely missing Dahlia his his frenzy.

OH DEAR GOD! There is yet one more alive back there. I hear him, but cannot see him.

The muffled screaming came from an upper cubby used as a storage shelf for linnen and blankets. Dahlia futilly continued to put out the flames in one spot only for the blaze to relocate. With smoke laiden air, Dahlia coughed and breathed heavily until Willy arrived with help.
Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.
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Postby Dahlia Atrois » Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:53 pm

“Take this,” Bekka thrust her his cape. “Give me this. You go top-side and tell the men to begin hauling some water onto the ship. Hurry!”

“There is one man still alive back there. I hear him,” Dahlia coughed as she spoke to Bekka motioning in the general direction she heard the noise issue from previously as the smoke swirled around her almost dancing and playfully.

“I hear nothing. Go now!”

Disheartened, Dahlia turned; “He IS there” came out of her mouth almost inaudibly, as she sped off towards the deck, leaving Bekka to battle the flames.

The moment she reached the deck, the smell of burnt carrion struck her; forcing herself past it, she delivered the orders to the men, glanced about for Willy whom was no where to be found and went off to assist the men in bringing water below the deck (all-in-all a slightly dangerous venture).

I wonder if Bekka found that man. The fire must have started as a result of a toppled oil lamp. There is no other explanation…

She dashed ahead of the men, dunking Bekka’s cape in a barrel of water on the way. She raced down the stairs to the third level and saw Bekka fighting off a badly burnt man whom she had never seen. Bekka, visibly weakened by the thick smoke found it difficult to keep track of his wiry opponent. Jumping in without thinking, Dahlia lunged at the man’s feet to bring him down, but in the process, she did not plan on him pulling a second knife and catching her in the left thigh and then the Captain in the right arm before Bekka, quite literally disarmed him with his falchion.

“Who are you? Who do you work for and why are you here? … Never mind. I don’t care.” Bekka severed the scoundrel’s head from his shoulders without a second thought and helped Dahlia to her feet, the knife still lodged in her thigh.

He finally heard the men coming. Paused and kicked the stranger deep into the flames. “Common. Get up,” as he picked her up resting her arm around his shoulder with a kindness not reflected in his voice, he began walking to the stairs. Completely ignoring his men as they hurriedly damped the fire.
Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.
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Postby Thenician » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:58 am

Thenician viewed the ship in the distance through his telescope. He had been ovserving this one for a few days now, travelling alongside it on the shores. As he watched, he notived smoke coming out of the vessel and grinned. Smoke meant fire, and fire meant that it would have to stop and check for damage. A larger warship would have to sail for days to reach a port big enough to dock at. Luckily, this boat fell short of that and could probably stop at that small fishing town he'd passed that morning.

Once finished with assumption upon assumption, Thenician put away the telescope and turned to the man beside him.

"If I'm right, they should be turning back to stop at that village we passed." Thenician said to him.

Just then, an idea hit him. Remembering a trick an old friend had told him about.

"I know how we can do this by taking less or no casualties." He said confidently. "But it's going to take time, we have to get started right away."

"What is it?" The man asked.

"I'll tell you, but first round up the men and meet me near the road through the woods right over there." He replied pointing at the dirt road they had passed that morning. "Quickly, we need all the time we can get."

The man mounted his horse and rode off to find the rest of the men. Thenician walked over to his horse and looked at it in the eye for a moment.

"What do you think, big guy? You think it'll work?" He asked the horse, to which it replied with a grunt.

Thenician smiled, then mounted his horse. Before riding off he looked up at the sky. A thick, solid chunk of grey cloud was making its way over. He immediately realized that if it rained soon, it would make the mission easier. So with yet another grin on his face, he rode off to where he would meet his allies.
"I love stealin', I love takin' things."
-Bender B. Rodriguez

"How 'bout I alter your face?"
-Thenician Dusk
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Postby Dahlia Atrois » Thu Sep 15, 2005 2:50 pm

“The damage to the lower deck is extensive, the floor in the aft area where the crew sleeps in paces the wood burned through, other places could break if ya step wrongly. The beams there are also badly damaged. Even the middle deck floor right above the fire, ain’t sound.” While the carpenter spoke, the he was nervously wringing the greasy rag he had in his hands as though to squeeze the life out of it. As he spoke his voice cracked and quivered, “we don’t have the equipment to repair the ship as she sails on. With all respects Cap’n, we need to dock and repair her as well as check her supports and restock supplies.”

Bekka stood motionless looking out the window unable to believe his ranks were penetrated by an outsider. Who in God’s name would try to spy on a pirate? Or was it meant as sabotage? Who does he work for? If only I didn’t kill him I would have some answers…

“Cap’n?” echoed the quivering voice as.

“What? Oh, yes,” Bekka murmured, “How many of my men were lost?”

“Five sir. Good God fear’n men they were. They must’ve been drunk as skunks to have a fight where a bloke’s arms are severed, then his head,” the carpenter mumbled and then began babbling, “Damnable alcohol. Bloody shame. Good men they were too.”

“Stop wringing the damnable cloth, man!” Bekka yelled as he turned and began pacing, recollecting the entire grotesque scene. “We will dock then,” he sighed and collapsed into his chair, resting his head in his hand. “Dahlia, look on the map for the nearest port where we are not known. We’ll already have to lower our flag to dock; we don’t need to be known ourselves. Go now, man. Tend to your chores and your work.” With that Bekka dismissed the man and turning to Dahlia, “So, where are we to turn this day? What pitiful little hut of a dock are we to take refuge in?”

Dahlia, now very concerned over her captain’s demeanor, replied, “We passed a small port town a day ago. There is a cliff over hanging it, secluding it from prying eyes…. If I may be so bold Sir, does that man trouble you still? I see your mannerisms are distant and your mind engaged elsewhere.” As she spoke he motioned for her to sit across from his desk, where the map lay open and marked with a compass.

“That man was not a drunken maddened crewman. He was here for us, for me, for this ship. We are legended to carry treasure from your home. No one can imagine what this treasure is, so they hunt and search for us. I can’t imagine how he infiltrated… If only I did not lose my temper, I could have known….” As he spoke, Bekka leaned toward her, and almost in a whisper, continued, “If something should happen, and I die or disappear; this is your ship. I trained you for it; you are more than capable and the men respect you. You will carry the title of Captain of Rehal’s Sunset, the proud Brigantine of military origin turned privateer in a time of turmoil. She stands for righteousness and all that I love.”

In utter shock, Dahlia sat staring unsure of what to say to her Captain for a few moments. Finally finding words, “Thank you, it is more than I deserve or could even hope for, but why this sudden path of thinking? You are not yet fifty-five, and still as strong as ever and—”

“Just remember my words, Dahlia. Now, go and have the dead crew buried in a sailor’s funeral, we shall then turn towards that port town. The unknown man will have a fate all his own which I shall give him.”

With that, Dahlia left the Captain’s quarters and proceeded to carry out his instructions, whilst Bekka tended to his unwelcome guest. Fully aware that the man might have been a spy, he set out to send a message that would be as clear as day. He went down to the ship’s hold and acquired a large broad plank, about eight by ten feet in size, and fastened the parts of the dead man onto it, and set it afloat in the sea to go back to whence it came. The dead man bore Bekka Pavonperas’ wax insignia on its forehead into eternity. Sent back to his employer with proof that Rehal’s Sunset will not be taken by underhanded treachery.

As Bekka stared out at the water in the sunset, it seemed as though it were made of millions of golden threads that breathed in their own life as the ship changed course to north by northeast, where that little port town lay. He never changed course before, always steadfast and focused; but now were changing and time was plodding on. And it made him feel older than his years.

The next afternoon…

“Dock dew east! Cut speed! Lower the sails! Keep her steady! Prepare to lay way the anchors!”

The foreman ordered as the ship began to dock. The scenery was crisp and fresh and beautiful, the town seemed as though it grew out of the ground under the shelter of the over lying cliff. Bekka and Dahlia stood on the forecastle of the ship watching as they pulled in, while Dahlia's hair whisked playfully about her and Bekka.

When the ship finally docked, the sky was clouding over and darkening very quickly as the wind picked up in speed. Upon disembarking, Dahlia noticed the port seemed awfully quiet and serene even for a small, secluded town. Dahlia looked around for the dock manager. It was getting awfully cloudy and damp, so she wanted to hurry.
Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.
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