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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 3882615" data-attributes="member: 2012">The Journey Begins (cont.)Jeddar stepped out onto the city streets with a sigh and a smile. He’d miss Minx deep inside, but he’d go on and do his part for the ship and his friends. He strolled down the streets and alleys of the city of Fruen whistling a sea shanty he’d learned his first year as a student of the Bardic College. It was a popular tune in the city and as he passed through the throng several of the city’s citizens gave a laugh and waved to the bard.In Fruen, Jeddar was becoming quite famous. He knew he’d never starve in this city and could count on the patronage of the lower caste for his bread and butter. The local nobles were less enamored to the Bard of Blades, but that had to do more with Jeddar’s cutting wit and many admirers amongst the daughters of Fruen’s noble houses.Yes, Jeddar was more than famous in Fruen he was infamous!Several street urchins began singing the shanty’s chorus and Jeddar unbelted one of his sheathed swords and pretended to strum it like a lute.“Give me a sword and a ship to sailand I'll never come home again,I'll travel the waves and kiss the maidsand fight a hundred men,I don't know why I’m leaving, lass,I don’t know where or when,But give me a sword and a ship to sailand I'll never come home again.”As Jeddar neared the docks, he had an entire crowd pacing alongside him as his voice rose above the din of dockworkers working and street vendors selling their wares.“I left my home soon afterand I bought myself a sword,I fought for silver and for gold,I built up quite a hoard,And so I went down to the wharfand bought a boat and then,I had me a sword and a ship to sail,and I never went home again.”Jeddar unsheathed his sword and jumped up on a cart heading towards The Ishtar. He flourished with his blade in the air and hoped up and down on the cart like a typical sailor. He sung the chorus twice before jumping off and tumbling past several annoyed members of the local watch. The watchmen were not his fans, and they took their job way too seriously.Jeddar continued to sing and prance about, all the while avoiding the pleas of the constables for him to stop singing, and stirring up trouble. He ignored them, as he ran down a side street doing cartwheels and back flips. Several street vendors blocked the watch as they tried to pursue him towards the dockyards.After checking that the watch was nowhere in sight, he sheathed and buckled on his sword. He sang the next verse in harmony with several nearby sailors.“O’er many years I’ve plied the seas,I’ve seen nigh every sight,I’ve cut the throats of men by day,loved lasses in the night,I’ve fought and drunk and learned far morethan many a wise man’s ken,And with my sword and a ship to sail,I’ll never go home again.”By the time he arrived near The Ishtar he had dozens of sailors and wenches walking and singing with him. They improvised several verses before Jeddar climbed to the top of an unlit lamppost and jumped to a nearby balcony to avoid several watchmen that appeared out of nowhere. He sung the last two verses as he walked along the railing.“The sea has always been my love,the blade has been my life,But one morn after too much wine,I woke up with a wife,And, alas, she kept me homeand clucked at me like a hen,So I gave her a sword and a ship to sailand she never came home again.And now I’m old and stooped and gray,my eyesight’s growing dim,But when I die, I’ll happily go,I won’t be glum or grim,For I have seen the great wide world,I didn’t stay in my den,‘Cause I got me a sword and a ship to sail,and I never went home again.”With that he took out his blades, put one between his teeth, cut a nearby rope anchor of a large block & pulley used for shipbuilding and used it to swing out onto the deck of The Ishtar. The crew cheered, Salisan laughed with joy, and even Dabuk cracked a smile. Jeddar finished the song with the chorus, and the entire crew sung along.“Give me a sword and a ship to sailand I'll never come home again,I'll travel the waves and kiss the maidsand fight a hundred men,I don't know why I’m leaving, lass,I don’t know where or when,But give me a sword and a ship to sailand I'll never come home again.”Jeddar turned towards the docks and bowed with a flourish of his swords before turning to Salisan Marg and saluting.“Jeddar Silversun reporting for duty, Captain Marg.”“HA! HA!” Salisan gave the bard a big bear hug. “Glad to have you with us, my friend.”The sight of the giant captain, even reduced, and a look of scorn from Mesik sent the watchmen scouring back to their posts. The reach of the Tiger Guild was long and undisputed. For without the guild, crime would be rampant throughout the city. Salisan put the bard down and barked out to the crew to stop singing and start working. One by one, the companions came and shook the bard’s hand. Dvalin slapped the bard on the back and even Crystal came out of the wardroom to give Jeddar a hug and a smile.The last too praise the performance of the Bard of Blades was Dabuk, who simply shook his friend’s hand with a wry smile.“So, can we go now?” Dabuk cracked wise just as the din was dying down.The companions all laughed.*                                        *                                        *Note: The song Jeddar is singing is called "Give me a Sword and a Ship to Sail (And I'll Never Come Home Again)". I got it from an old issue of Dragon Magazine.</blockquote>

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