In the Middle of...Somewhere

Ankh-Morpork Guard · 21st May 2007, 03:45 AM

OOC Thread
Character Thread

Not a week ago, the small ship, Star of Llry, left its dock with a group of merchants and other passengers for a long trip across the Great Sea. There were to be stops at many of the islands along the way, though only one such stop had been made so far. Two others had been taken aboard in the process, and like most, kept to themselves and tried to keep themselves from getting seasick or too bored aboard the ship on what was going to be a long journey.

Then, during the morning two days after the short stop on the small, coastal island, the ship was attacked. Whatever it was that brought down the Star of Llry, or even why, you don't know. What you do know is that it happened very quickly, and before you knew it you were in the cold water of the ocean. In the chaos, it was hard to tell where everyone that had been aboard the ship was, though screaming could be heard and at least some tried to help one another.

While some drowned, others stayed afloat and attempted to make a hard swim to an island that was actually within sight. Few made it. None of the crew could be seen.

By the time the survivors had reached the shore, be it from the current, which was surprisingly strong, or managing to swim the entire way, there were only six of you left.

It was hot. The sand of the beach was more of a rough dirt, and quickly gave way to rough patches of grass here and there. Eventually, a loose collection of trees, that might have been a jungle years ago, could be seen, though it was closer to the horizon than to the water. There also seemed to be a large amount of debris washing up on the shore with you, but most of it looked to simply be pieces of wood and other useless junk.

At least you'd managed to get your own possessions before the ship went down. Not that it looked like it would do you much good. From what you could see, there were no signs of...well...anything around beyond what had washed up along with you.

Voda Vosa · 21st May 2007, 05:00 AM

A pacefull travel to his destiny was what Bonamius had in mind. After geting off the ship he would get to the tavern, and murder his target, that filthy gnome. But there was something he didn't foreseen, something he didn't include in his calculations. The ship was removed from the ocean so fast that he couldn't even identify the attackers. The next thing Bonamius knew was that the water was salty and cold.
After swiming to the relatively close island, he gather his backpack, and other stuff that scape from it. Luckily there was all of it, nothing missing. Even his fishook.
He looks to the island where he was. He sigh, and start walking along the shore. Maybe there where others who made it, or at least some corpses to scavenge.
"Damn pice of garvage, you could have hold a bit longer..." he wisper to himself addressing to the broken pices of the ship.
After walking for a while he starts to infurate.
"I curse you Fool Island!" he shouts to the sky. Still anger he takes of his backpack and extracts his fishng hook. With some of the shore tables and some string he takes from his blanket he build a pathetic kind of fishing rod, and tries tu fish someting.

ethandrew · 21st May 2007, 05:08 AM

Finally hitting the wet beach, Slim rolls onto his back. After being tossed one time after another by the rough waves, the security of solid ground felt reassuring. Laying there panting, he stares up into the sky and gets lost in the moment. Distantly he can hear screams, very faint, but the former screams of terror now seemed to be of despair. He lets out a snort of derision and wonders if they finally caught him. Before that idea could settle in he instinctively turns his side and retches up copious amounts of saltwater.

He collapses. Minutes, hours, days-weeks-months pass by in seconds. Finally he gathers the strength to push himself up, bracing his weight with his arms. His knees push deep into the wet sand, sinking him ever so slightly. Looking around he can see the flotsam that saved his life and other survivors strugging in the distant parts of the beach. He pulls one leg forward, dragging his knee through the mud before he firmly plants a foot down and stands himself upward. Vomit stings his nose and he holds one nostril closed while he pushes hard, forcing all water, mucus, and remaining puke to expel out. He repeats with the other nostril unceremoneously. Shaking his sleeves, he looks at his surroundings and sighs.

EvolutionKB · 21st May 2007, 05:44 AM

Victor walks out of the surf, not struggling like some of the others probably will. He had been in the hold at the time of the attack. All he heard were screams and sounds of the Star of Llry breaking apart. As the waters swallowed him, he didn't panic. The respect that he awarded the great green dragon Chlorilaxis, had earned him the ability to mimic dragon's ability to breathe water. Thus he swam out of the great hole punched in the hull and to the surface. He spotted an island and began calmly swimming towards it. Now standing upon the beach he began stripping naked. The sun was high and it was hot. Before they knew it would be night and it would be cold. He needed to get dry quick. He was tall and lanky. The little muscle he had was stretched over his body. He ran his fingers through his damp black hair. He heard the forsaken cries of somebody down the beach. They would need a fire, that would be next, after any more survivors showed up.

Blarkon Dragonslayer · 21st May 2007, 06:40 AM

Valmun is washed ashore, still holding onto a large piece of wood. For some while he just lays there, in the sand, staring at nothing. Then, without appearing to hurry, he sits up, stretches, and looks around. He reaches into his haversack, and takes out a waterskin and a some dried meat, chewing a bit of the meat as he examines his surroundings. "Well, at least the universe is consistently out to get me, it's not just a summer fling. I wonder if I can get a refund on the price of passage?"

Voda Vosa · 21st May 2007, 07:07 AM

"A complete faliure! As usual when I try out this mundane tasks! Bah" thinks the warlock, as he retrives his fishook and discard the 'rod'. "There must be someone else on this putrid pice of land" he says in a wisper as he examines the surroundings.
Far from where he is standing, there is something like 1 or so meters tall. "To big for a flotasm." Bonamius think, before he start walking toward what ever it could be.
After a half hour walk, he distinguish the shape of a man, sitting on the sands of the shore. He walks closer, enough to be noted be the other.
"Greetings to you my fellow swimer" says the warlock with a ridiculous bow, water driping from his clothes. His dark chain shirt has algae attached to it, as do his boots. His black hair si salty, and full of sand. His right hands is free, and his left hand holding his dripping backpack.
"Its indeed a relife that I'm not the only survivor" Bonamius stated.

stonegod · 21st May 2007, 07:18 AM

It had been a well appointed cabin. Lord Elderwood demanded the finest of everything. The divan Jan had been sitting on was fine for ships furuniture, in a style famous in the distant southern shores.

It was very comfortable, even if he was manacled to it.

Jan saw nothing of the trip. He had been shuffled unceremoniously to his chair and left there. Fully dressed and armed of course---Jan was a very expensive decoration when not fighting for his master's entertainment. Nothing gave Lord Elderwood more pleasure than seeing the heavily armed boy helpless to do anything.

When the attack came, the Lord was entertaining some merchant travelers, probably hoping to make some profit. They were discussing crossbow shipments, had even brought some of their merchandise. But when the attack came, each only thought of themselves. Jan's master had cruelly shoved one of the men aside in his flight abovedecks; the remaining conscious one looked at Jan helplessly a moment before he too fled.

Jan did not struggle. He had been too long a slave for that. No, he waited and looked, patient. It could be a trick. Or, whatever it was could pass and his master would return for him. It was not until there were those sickening lurches and the water began bursting in that he panicked. He tried to break the manacles first, but that was useless. The divan, however, was more decorative than sturdy, and soon yielded to his adrenaline fueled efforts. Soon, he was free. Jan barely had the presence of mind to start trying to escape when the floating box of test merchandise clipped in the head.

Then there was blackness.

Though it was his decorative prison, the divan saved his life. Prostrated across it in his unconsciousness, he unknowingly floated most of the way ashore. When he came too, Jan was only a few hundred feet from shore. He paddled his makeshift raft towards the beach, and with a heave, landed ashore.

Picking up one of the remaining merchant's wares and some bolts that had been with it, Jan surveyed his surroundings. The manacles may still hold his wrists, but one thing seemed clear for now.

He was free.

Legildur · 21st May 2007, 03:30 PM

Exhausted, soaked to the skin, and cover in salt crystals from the evaporation of the sea water, Yarra keeps hugging the piece of driftwood that saved his life for a few moments longer.

Summoning all his will, he slowly stands in the soft, wet sand as the waves continue to break over him. Stumbling a few paces to the firmer sand, he collapses onto his back and immediately regrets doing so as the prod of his crossbow digs into his back.

Finally sitting up, he takes immediate stock of his possessions and finding them intact, albeit wet and in need of some care. Putting that aside for the moment, Yarra looks around him and sees five other shipwrecked souls on the beach. 'Is that all?' he asks of himself.

Wiping his nose with his wet sleeve, the skinny, unremarkable human, makes his way towards the others.

The first he comes across is an imposing looking man with manacled wrists.

"I don't recall seeing you on the ship?" he comments from a safe distance. "Why are you secured?" he asks, wary of anyone silly enough to get caught doing something they shouldn't be doing.

EvolutionKB · 22nd May 2007, 12:52 AM

Fully dressed and dry again, Victor walks along the beach again, looking for survivors or anything that would be useful from the wreck. Eventually he comes to another passenger. He is half lying on the ground. Judging from the hacking noises and the vomit on his clothes Victor would assume that he just threw up. He has short black hair, and not a whisker on his face, much unlike Victor, who is showing much stubble from being in the hold for a few days. "Are you okay?" He holds his hand out for the small man to grab so Victor can help him lift him to his feet. Another man stands nearby, much taller than the other; he has a black chain shirt. A morningstar is at his hip.

Voda Vosa

ethandrew · 22nd May 2007, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvolutionKB

"Are you okay?"

Looking up at the massive sight towering above him, Slim extends his hand and takes the proffered one attached to the long limbed man. He stands up and smiles genially, "Quite alright, considering the alternative we faced." He laughs slightly and shakes his head, looking around at the beachfront and the few number of men who made it to shore.

He looks up again at the tall man, "I feel like a pittance of a man standing next to you, it is actually a little quaint. Maybe one of these days we can make a basket to hang from your shoulders and you could carry me, for the difference between our strides would allow travel to go much quicker. But I jest, surely one so outfitted as yourself has a much more important existance than to help me rest my sea-weary legs. Answer me this, should we fear further threats from those who initially attacked us? I would hope not, as their potency was well displayed and those few of us who survived would pose a meager resistance. It would seem prudent then that we should aid the others, much like in the manner you aided me. That way in case of an unfortunate raid onto this beach to finish our soaked souls, we could hope to survive once again."

He rambled as he looked around at different things: the men washed onto the beach, both alive and dead; out to the sea, where the poor Star of Llyr met its unfortunate demise; the trees and shrubberies promising shelter from the sun. He rambled and wrung the water out of his sleeves. He rambled as he tilted his head and used his finger to pull out any contents settling in his ears. He rambled as he stared at the dark haired man with eyes much like his own.

Voda Vosa · 22nd May 2007, 01:25 AM

EvolutionKB

EvolutionKB · 22nd May 2007, 06:05 AM

Victor looks down at the little man with a smile from his words. "I didn't see who attacked us, I was down in the hold. I swam out through a hole in the hull. Whatever it was let us swim through the water to get here, I doubt it or they will attack us now. I am Victor by the way."

Quote:

Maybe one of these days we can make a basket to hang from your shoulders and you could carry me, for the difference between our strides would allow travel to go much quicker.

"A basket? Hmmm....oh you're joking..." Victor gives a half-hearted laugh, a little slow to realize the man's sarcasm. "Come let us find shelter from the sun, find any other survivor's, and get a fire going. It will be cold at night."

Victor had momentarily forgotten the other stranger, the tall one with the black chain shirt. "My name is Victor, are you okay? You've been quiet since I arrived."

ooc

Voda Vosa · 22nd May 2007, 06:54 AM

Bonamius was talking to the sited man, and didn't notice the other two, that where apparently not too far from him. He jump aside in surprise. Bonamius didn't like surprises. Without warning he cast an Eldrich blast to the sand, quite next to the talles of the two mans. A little crater on the sand can be seen.
"Do not appear in such a way, I do not like surprises." he says breathing fast. Then, seen the strangers didnt represent an inminent hazard he get more calmed: "So Victor... The 'Giant assasin' as the sailors said, if I recall well. HaHa, it seems you get a bit more luck than thouse useless apes" Bonamius comments, looking to the open sea.
He cross his arms infront of his chest and stated "What about you?" addressing the shorter man, standing next to Victor

ethandrew · 22nd May 2007, 07:12 AM

Slim graces the jumpy individual with a look of disgust before he looks at the small hole blasted in the sand right next to him and Victor. Looking back he replies, "What about me? I suppose I am luckier than apes too, since I am on the shore and they are not. I apologize for our sudden appearance, but you see, it was not my fault." Slim points over at a large piece of flotsam, dragged up onto the beach, "There is you culprit, if not for that sneaky piece of wood, no one would have been here to surprise you."

Turning back to Victor slim dusts off a bit of the sand that was blasted onto him, "My name is Brutus, but that is a horrid name, so most people call me Slim. You were the man who killed some of those passengers, were you not? That causd a bit of a stir, kind of nice when you are out in the boredom of the sea. Did they try to cheat you or something?"

He continues to talk as he walks with Victor to the other man, "Once we gather up the rest of the stragglers on the beach, I agree that we should find shelter and start a fire. I would much appreciate the heat after being tossed around in the water. So you say you were in the hold? I was in my room when the attack occurred, so it would seem it was safer to be below deck than above. Personally, I got a little sick when on the top deck or whatever they called it. Sailors, they have names for everything."

stonegod · 22nd May 2007, 08:23 AM

[Jan is only 5' 6", so he towers over no one.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legildur

"I don't recall seeing you on the ship?" he comments from a safe distance. "Why are you secured?" he asks, wary of anyone silly enough to get caught doing something they shouldn't be doing.

The young man looks up at the stranger. He had been staring dumbly at the manacles, trying to decide what to do. When he is addressed, the boy seems startled.

"My..my master held me." He holds up the shackles. "I am...was a slave. Master fled. Left me to die." He holds up the shackles pitifully, pushing aside some of his stray red hairs. "Can you open these, s-sir?"

Legildur · 22nd May 2007, 09:11 AM

Yarra looks seriously at the young man for a few moments, as if looking for something in his eyes. "You're in luck," he replies unshouldering his backpack. "I'm an apprentice locksmith by trade," he adds as he retrieves a leather wrap of tools from the backpack.

Unrolling the collection of tools on the top of his pack, he grabs a manacle and examines it for a couple of moments. Selecting a couple of odd-shaped metal 'keys' and 'tongs', Yarra sets about trying to unlock the manacles.

AMG

EvolutionKB · 23rd May 2007, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Without warning he cast an Eldrich blast to the sand, quite next to the talles of the two mans. A little crater on the sand can be seen. "Do not appear in such a way, I do not like surprises." he says breathing fast. Then, seen the strangers didnt represent an inminent hazard he get more calmed:

Victor stiffens at the sight of the ray of eldritch energy striking nearby, sending a fine spray of sand into the wind. Immediately there is the smell of chlorine around him, as well as a faint green mist. Seeing the man calm down, Victor speaks. "Sorry, sometimes I forget how invisible I can be. Let's cut out the 'shoot first ask questions later' attitude okay? We wouldn't want to upset anybody that would rescue us."

Quote:

You were the man who killed some of those passengers, were you not? That causd a bit of a stir, kind of nice when you are out in the boredom of the sea. Did they try to cheat you or something?"

Quote:

"So Victor... The 'Giant assasin' as the sailors said, if I recall well

"I don't know what the sailor's said after they threw me in the hold, but I did kill a couple people aboard the ship. They were sorcerers, and they killed my friends. I don't know how I survived. They used magic to disguise their forms. That is probably why the crew didn't just throw me overboard, they wanted to get to the bottom of what was really going on."

Quote:

So you say you were in the hold? I was in my room when the attack occurred, so it would seem it was safer to be below deck than above.

"No probably not, you would've drowned." Victor says plainly. Somehow you know he is telling the truth. Victor scratches his new beard as they walk. "Let us go find any scragglers, keep your eyes open." Victor momentarily closes his eyes and concentrates. He could immediately see a little bit clearer, and hear the sounds of the surf became more clear. His new companions discovered the same. "Be ready for anything," looking back at the one who had shot the ray of eldritch energy, "you never know who is not an ally." Both of his new companions also felt more alert, ready for anything.

ooc

Voda Vosa · 23rd May 2007, 01:45 AM

"Well... I think theres no harm in telling my true name, since we are in this putrid island. I'm Bonamius Alikan, the dread, the ragged, and many more people calls me, but I must explain that thouse don't apply exactly to the same person." The human smiles, he seems to be remembering something in the past. Then he puts his wet hair behind his ears.
"At your service" he bows extravagantly "And sorry for the altercation, I'm usually polited with strangers, but you catch me by surprise" he excuses.

Quote:

"Be ready for anything, you never know who is not an ally."

After hearing that, Bonamius feelt something, although he couldn't tell its nature.

Ankh-Morpork Guard · 23rd May 2007, 03:36 AM

Yarra and Jan:

It takes a little working and some creative use of some of the tools, but finally, a click can be heard from the manacles and they release their rather tight grip on Jan's arm.

Everyone Else:

It is immediately noticeable that, for some reason, your senses seem suddenly heightened. Thanks to this, not too far down the coastline, you can see another pair of survivors...or at least, you assume that's what they are. The heightened hearing helps to confirm this, and despite the distance, you can hear hear some talk about a 'slave' and 'locksmith' before a soft clicking noise.

OOC:

Spoiler:

Voda Vosa · 23rd May 2007, 03:45 AM

The grim warlock relaxes. "I think these two wont cause much trouble, they are probably survivors like urselves. Never the less, I recomend caution. Let's go" Bonamius says as he start walking in the direction of the two stragers. The man hold his right hand next to his weapon, just in case...

OOC: "Never the less" is spelled like this ,or all together? Also: the last word of the previous sentence is correctly spelled? I will appreciate if you could correct me such errors. That way I could avoid them in the future