Cosmic Seafarer (A solo game)

[fissionessence]

You may recognize the title 'Cosmic Seafarer' from the Plots & Places forum, where I've posted a similar thread. Basically what's going on is I've started running myself through a solo D&D 4E game (no DM, just me playing) using a couple of systems to support it. If you're interested in reading about all the nuts and bolts of how this works, and all the decisions I'm making about the story on the fly as I go, go check out my other thread. Otherwise, this is just to serve as a warning as to why the story might be weird and seem to jump around, or not necessarily make too much sense sometimes. In between rolling on random tables and figuring out what it means, I 'roleplay' my session by writing it as fiction; that's what I'm presenting here, in my Story Hour thread.

But first, a character and setting introduction.

* * * * *

As a young boy, Rinian was a human street orphan and got into a lot of trouble picking pockets and whatnot. This got him into trouble with the law, where he went to some delinquency place and because of the 'dark ages' laws of that city he was sold as a slave. Captain Tradaro, a tiefling, bought him to sweep the poop deck. Tradaro's ship, Star Bearing, essentially serves as a sailing tavern. The captain used to be an adventurer himself, but has now 'retired' into sailing. He'll take adventurers anywhere they want to go, but for commensurately high prices. As he travels, he collects 'quest seeds', treasure maps and the like. As he meets adventurers he feels are up to snuff, he sells them the treasure maps or information, or hires them to perform certain quests off of which he thinks he can make a profit. In this way, he makes a reasonable amount of money, and he adventures vicariously through these younger people aboard his ship.

Rinian found himself on this ship full of adventurers, whom he came to somewhat admire. One day a beautiful wizardess or somesuch caught him staring at her as she lounged in the sun. She smiled and winked coyly. When they docked and she and her party left the ship, she winked at him again and cast a spark of magic at him. He doesn't know if this infused him with power, or just activated something latent within him, but over the next few weeks his body began changing. (He became a xax.)

As his transformation completed, he found he also had magic powers and an affinity for the moon and the stars. He is now able to read them better than any astrolabe, and eventually replaced the ship's previous navigator. As the ship is constantly filled with adventurers of all shapes, sizes and races, he doesn't feel out of place in his strange and unexplainable new form, and the captain seems to have some kind of affection for him, as he shows great talent and power as a navigator and potential adventurer.

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~

 

[fissionessence]

Scene 1 — Song of the Sea

The sun beat down on the Star Bearing, just like it did every day. With little more than grunts appropriate of their heavy work load, the crew continued their daily maintenance of the ship, pulling and tying off ropes, adjusting sails and swabbing the poop deck. With the lazy adventurer passengers still in their beds, members of the crew were the only ones out actually working this morning, and they were no more pleased about it than usual. However, one crew member found himself humming . . . then another. A strange tune had come up and across the boat, drowning out the crashing of the waves against the boat's sides, and putting a certain cheer in the step of the overworked crew. Soon, they danced cheerfully as they worked, and not at all embarrassed of their new-found reverie.

Rinian had only recently rolled out of bed when the singing started. With a room in the tavern portion of the ship, Rinian had a view to the aft of the boat. He peered out to see the crew dancing and whistling as they worked . . . not a common sight on board the Star Bearing. He used to have to get up early with the rest of the crew, as he was responsible for much of the cleaning, so he knew their demeanor—it wasn't this. Since his transformation, though, he was in charge of navigation by the stars, which kept him up later at night. He tended to keep the same awkward hours as the adventurers now, and he had even been able to convince Captain Tradaro to let him have a room near theirs, in the tavern portion of the ship that came up like a building in the middle of the boat.

Scouring out his window for any source of this music that seemed to pervade the entire ship, Rinian was unable to spot any source. He left his room, listening around the hallway; the music seemed to be just as loud no matter where he went. Nonetheless, Rinian searched.

Rinian saw a blue-green-skinned scaly creature ahead, strumming an elaborate gold harp. It's voice soothed him as its music rang out across the ship, but Rinian was too curious to just dance or sing along.

"I haven't seen you aboard," he said. The creature seemed startled to be interrupted from its music.

"I have not finished my song," it replied.

"Yes, well, I'm sorry, but how did you get on board?"

The creature began strumming again on its harp, though its music was no longer accompanied by its singing. "I have climbed aboard in order to bring you my master's song of alliance."

"Recently," it continued, "mindless hordes of sea creatures have begun attacking my people. Normally we live in harmony with the creatures of the sea, but some psychic force is corrupting them and interfering with my master's own psychic power. We have come to your ship in peace, as we know what great powers ride along your vessel, and we require your assistance."

"These hordes have been attacking us as well, you know."

"Yes, and we have seen how well you have dispatched them. We have not had as much luck, and we have suffered many casualties."

Rinian realized that having powerful adventurers aboard surely has had a positive effect on the Star Bearing's ability to defend itself. He's also noticed that the attacks only started about as recently as they visited that blizzard island, so he asks. "These attacks, do they have anything to do with the blizzard that recently struck a nearby island?"

The merrow looked solemnly at Rinian. "Yes," it said. "My master fears that some ancient being that dwelt on that island has recently awoken, causing the cold. It now lurks in the sea with untold intentions, causing havoc."

"So what is it you think we can do to help?" Rinian asked. "Why did you come to the Star Bearing?"

"My master believes there is help to be found among you."

"Well," Rinian began, "what help are you looking for?"

The merrow glared deeply at Rinian, its eyes slightly narrowing, evaluating him fully. "It is you I came for. Did you not wonder why my music held entranced all but you?"

Indeed, the merrow was still strumming its harp; in their conversation, Rinian had ceased to notice.

"Oh," Rinian replied bluntly. "The stars have changed recently, does this have anything to do with it?"

"Of course. Now come; all this strumming has loosened one of my finger scales."

The merrow stowed its harp and reached for Rinian. Reluctantly, the misshapen boy took the fish creature's hand. And when he did, the world went white.

* * * * *

Re-reading just the story part of my original post, I made a few slight changes, but there's still some stuff that probably seems totally out of place or unexplained . . . there are details in my original thread that unfortunately never quite made it to the prose portion of my writing. So, you'll just have to play along (Or, you could read the full version in the thread linked in my original post, but only if you have plenty of time on your hands )

~ fissionessence

 

[fissionessence]

Scene 2 — Awkward Good-Byes

The world went white for but a moment in Rinian's eyes before reality quickly situated itself back around him. The merrow seemed to have been startled out of its spell by the crew who had rushed the two. With the music ceased and their reverie ended, the crew mates seemed none too happy to realize what it was they had been captivated to do over the past thirty or so minutes.

Before Rinian—or the merrow, it seemed—realized what was going on, a couple of the burlier crew members had each taken the merrow by an arm. It squirmed and tried to slip free of their grasps, but they held fast.

"Wait, stop!" Rinian cried at them. "Let it go; it needs me."

"Let it go?" Barnus asked incredulously. "This thing was makin' me dance!" The burly crew mate shook the merrow's arm violently.

Rinian shook his head. "You don't understand. It needs me to help stop the sea creature attacks."

Barnus grimaced, but released the merrow's arm. He nodded to the crew mate holding the creature's other arm, who released his end as well.

"Thank you," Rinian said. "Please tell the captain I'll be back."

Rinian's last sight before the world faded to white again was Captain Tradaro standing atop the roof of the ship's tavern, his arms crossed and his old wrinkled red face staring blankly down at Rinian.

* * * * *

Yeah, this 'randomly generated story' format certain isn't going to win me any fiction writing prizes. Hopefully it's at least marginally entertaining

~

 

[fissionessence]

Scene 3 — The Room of Fish and Stars

Rinian's stomach turned and he felt twisted and tossed around this blank whiteness. After what seemed like several minutes, Rinian found himself standing on a cold stone flat floor that seemed to extend forever in all directions. The sky consisted both of stars and the depths of the ocean; fish swam above them, weaving through asteroid belts like they would a coral reef.

Rinian's stomach still lurched, but not from the sight. The journey's effects still lingered. The merrow seemed equally affected, which struck Rinian as strange. Shouldn't this creature be accustomed to the visit here?

Apparently the merrow had seen Rinian looking at it, and responded. "I'm sorry; I do not know why I was unable to transport us here more . . . gracefully." It coughed, with a slight gag, then stood up straight, shaking off any final effects it may have felt. "I am Chersin. I have come on behalf of my master, Teunari. What is your name?"

"I am Rinian, but didn't you know that already?"

"No. My master told me of the gifts I sought, and the spell in my song was designed to exclude one who possessed such gifts; I knew you would come to me eventually."

"Oh."

"Yes."

"What gifts?"

"Do you not read the night sky? Are you not in tune with the moon and the stars?"

"I am, but what does that have to do with what's going on? You never explained —"

"Come." With that, Chersin began swimming upward through the air. When the change had occurred Rinian was not sure, but Chersin's legs were now a long tail fin that he used to propel himself upward.

Rinian pulled the air around him with his arms as if he were swimming in water . . . and indeed, it seemed as if he were. His stroke pushed him up through the watery air in the direction Chersin had gone.

Chersin didn't go far, however. He tread the water-air with his fin as he waited for Rinian to catch up.

"What is this place?" Rinian asked as he made the last few strokes toward the merrow. "I can swim through the air."

"This is the dreamspace offered to those most trusted and appreciated by my master. Do not worry yourself with it now. Look," Chersin said, and he gestured to a constellation to which the two were now closer than when they had been on the ground.

Having caught up to the merrow, Rinian ceased his 'swimming' and quickly found himself sinking. He immediately kicked and stroked again, realizing he would need to tread the air-water to stay aloft/afloat. He nodded at Chersin's gesturing, waiting for the merrow to continue after the boy's blunder.

"This is the constellation that recently changed," Chersin said. Indeed, Rinian had noticed this change.

"My master believes that this newly formed constellation is what the revived entity is using to focus its power over the sea creatures. Not only that, but the constellation it replaced was one very sacred to the followers of Teunari. My master considers this, along with the attacks on our people, to be a personal affront."

"So what am I supposed to do about it?" Rinian asked. "I mean, I can read stars, but I can't change constellations or psychically control fish."

"It is not a star-reader we require. It is your cosmic connection. This gift is the reason you can read stars, and it is the reason you can help us."

"But what is this gift? How did I get it?"

"That I cannot answer." For a moment, Chersin and Rinian looked into each other's eyes, both wondering. "Nonetheless, you must go and unlock the secret of this constellation—the secret of this entity's psychic power."

"Okay." Rinian's arms and legs were beginning to get sore from the treading of air. "But where must I—"

Chersin placed his hand on Rinian's shoulder, and the world faded to white.

* * * * *

I read stories like this when I was in fiction classes. Now I know how they generated their ideas, and how their stories therefore came out so bad.

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