The Unknown: A Game of Fear, Ignorance, and Adventure

[Zemalac]

Riley Lynch listened politely to Ticky's list of questions. "I don't know that you need a full crew list," he said, "as you don't know who will be going with you. However, I'd be happy to help you with everything else. What happened to the Osprey, that is an easy one: there was a storm, and we ran into the island. The lookout couldn't see shit, the captain couldn't see shit, and because of that we missed an entire godsdamn island until it was too late."

He paced back and forth, carving a little trail through the sand. "You're going to the Unknown Continent," he said, almost absently. "I'm not sure how many people will want to go with you. You're probably not going to come back, you know. No one else has. Might be safer to wait here for another ship going in the other direction, you know?"

Deslock, meanwhile, was suffering from smoke inhalation. Several sailors had showed up with braces of crabs over their shoulders, asking where they should put them to be cooked, and had gotten into an argument with the people building the fire over some absurd technicality. Meanwhile, the man with the gluepot was still hovering, unwilling to go off and build his own fire when there was this one already set and burning. In the middle of the confusion someone had unwittingly thrown a few green branches on the fire, and now everyone had retreated, coughing.

"Right," said Deslock. "Fuck this. You," indicating Larissa, "you've got fruit. Good. You lot," indicating the sailors, "make something of the crabs. In the meantime, we have fruit, which does not need to be argued over."

 

[MintyNinja]

"You know what I hate?" Rokya muttered to himself. "Fucking trees! Always in the way, do nothing but block your view, and birds shit all over them!" He jumped off his current branch and landed in a bush, "and fucking bushes too!" He pulled himself to his feet and continued on his way, now with a better understanding of his direction.

 

[MeatSpace]

Going into the jungle.

Had another odd dream. This time I was bathed in fire and impaled on the top of a churches steeple. I remember looking around and seeing a lot of blood. In fact I think the church was made entirely out of blood and bone lashed together with sinewy chords of flesh. I also recall screaming. A lot. I've heard that dreams supposedly only last a few seconds. Though this one went on for hours. I didn't have the most accurate sense of time during it all but it felt like at least twelve hours. I only slept for two hours at the most. I climbed up to the top of the steeple, even managed to get myself free from the steeples point. Then somethings started shooting the fuck out of me. Weird looking little humans dressed in robes of stitched together leather and wearing heavy metal masks. They shot at me with crossbows and hurled jars of flaming liquids impossible distances to the top of the steeple. In desperation and confusion I leaped from the steeple down to the ground below. I wanted to kill them more than anything I've ever met in the real world. I think I fell for close to an hour before landing on one of them in an explosion of blood and gore. They scattered after that and I lay on the ground in a chunky pool of what used to be one of the strangers with my legs and arms shattered. At this point I noticed that the ground was made entirely of corpses. I looked up in the distance and saw a great looming ring of fire and smoke atop a mountain of corpses. Almost like some kind of hellish halo. I started to crawl towards it just before I finally awakened. Very odd. Need to keep myself sauced. These dreams clearly mean something in the grand scheme of things. The last one foreshadowed the dragon attack. I can only imagine what this one means.

My stomach itches. Probably caught a rash going through all the plants out here. Need to get more supplies though. Starting to run low. Jungle packed with dense foliage and provides ample workable materials. Moving towards the center towards a mountain range. Certain materials sought only grow in particular high altitude conditions. It is essential that it be recovered.

-Carved into the side of an empty metal flask

 

[Zemalac]

The mast was falling.

"Catch it, catch it, get the fucking rope!"

Sailors hauled on the ropes, and succeeded in turning the downward fall into a sideways swing, which took out a few branches of a nearby tree. The mast, fortunately enough, was unharmed.

"Okay, all right, just give me a heart attack, that's fine. Now lower it slowly--you do know how to do that, right?"

They lowered it slowly. They had multiple men on each rope, now, and were looping fresh ones around the mast to provide extra support. There was another bad moment when one of the pulleys popped a wheel, but that was dealt with successfully enough, though Deslock once again screamed at everyone involved.

Riley Lynch watched the mast be removed from his ship from his position next to Ticky.

"'S a shame, really," he said. "She's a good ship, the Osprey. Sailed for many a year. And now she's being pillaged for spare parts. Pah." He watched the sailors try to lift the mast, find it to be too heavy, and run off to recruit more muscle. "'S a shame."

"Indeed, sir," said someone from behind him, politely. Riley sighed.

"Hello, Mr. Pews," he said. "I hadn't seen you for a while, good to know you survived."

"Indeed, Mr. Lynch," said Mr. Pews, stepping into view. "I regret to say that my presence now is more to avoid being press-ganged by the men trying to move the mast than due to any desire to reassure you of my survival. However, if I can by happy accident achieve both goals, then I am pleased to serve."

They were silent for a moment, watching the chaos.

"I don't think you'd be expected to help," said Riley, after a while. "You were a passenger. This is more of a sailor's job. No offense intended, of course."

"Of course."

"Hell, most of the passengers have just vanished," Riley continued gloomily. "The painted elf and the freaky goat-man, they're off in the wilderness somewhere, the old Illarym guy is still locked in his cabin, and the gods only know where the ice elf has gotten off to."

"Ms. Cronin is still here," Pews pointed out. Riley didn't pay him any attention. After a moment Pews tipped his hat and said, "Good day, sir. It's been a pleasure."

"As you say," said Riley vaguely, as Pews walked away.

A minute later, with a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, the man called Mr. Pews vanished into the jungle. Few noticed his absence, and around the Osprey and on the beach the chaos continued unabated.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Ticky raised his eyebrow at Pews. An odd man, obviously antisocial, quiet, and mildly sarcastic.

He liked the man.

Clearing his throat, he nodded to Riley. "Well, Mr. Riley, once we have a more solidified list of folk who wish to join this Expedition, I suspect you'll have no qualms about giving me some information about them?" Ticky smiled wryly and lowered his voice a tad. "We'd rather not have any troublemakers aboard, and I'm sure you'd be able to point out those rare individuals."

Glancing at Pews, Ticky added quickly "As a personal query, what is with that man? He seemed very collected, compared to the rest of your crew. Meaning no offense, of course."

 

[Zemalac]

Riley Lynch took a moment to reply. "Oh, absolutely," he said, "though I'd hate to think that it was my word that got someone denied escape from this island. No matter. I can certainly tell you what I know."

He looked in the direction that Ticky had glanced, didn't see Pews, and responded anyway. "As for Mr. Pews, I don't know much about him. He was a passenger. Paid well, always polite, always courteous. Fine gentleman. Shame about the cat." Riley grimaced. "Poor animal. Anyway, I'm not surprised that he's the most collected of us all. Even during the storm he was just standing there, holding his hat on with one hand, shouting apologies to people who were thrown into him by the waves. He's a good fellow."

"Now, we should probably start going over the ship...you know, I think we might need more people to handle the mast..."

______________________________​

Back on the Cepolada, Captain Grummond was not happy.

"Say again?" he shouted down to the unfortunate sailor in the longboat.

"The Explorer says he needs more people to get the new mast, sir!" repeated the sailor, knowing full well what his captain's reaction would be.

"All gods damn the man!" roared Grummond, as expected. "He strips my ship of manpower to go explore his godsdamn island, and then asks for more! I need my men here, dammit! Someone has to make sure we don't run into the godsdamned reef!"

"Very sorry, sir!" shouted the sailor. "Take it up with the Explorer, sir! I'm just delivering the message, sir!"

"Pah," said the captain. "Fine. He'll get more people, but I'll be damned if he takes any of mine. Hughes! Dafals! Deslock's still got some of his Expedition lurking around here, see if you can find 'em!"

Hughes and Dafals came to attention. "Sir! Where should we start, sir?"

Captain Grummond thought for a moment, then pulled a key out of his shirt. "Start with the dwarf," he said, "what's his name, McKellen. He hasn't come out for meals, his light hasn't been on for weeks, there's cobwebs in the corners of the doorway and I'm pretty sure the door is starting to meld with the wall. Drag him out of his little den and get him moving. Deslock needs more people?" He grinned. "Well, what he's getting is the dwarf." He tossed the key to one of the sailors, who caught it easily. "Here's the master key. Don't lose it."

Hughes and Dafals gave the sort of halfhearted salute common to sailors, and made their way belowdecks. They found the right door easily enough. It was just as Grummond had described it--cobwebs in the corners, handle beginning to rust, the wood swelling on one side because of the wet and the lack of use.

"This the one?" asked Hughes, as a formality.

"Looks like," said Dafals, completing the ritual. "Don't know that we'll find much, though. Judging by the smell, he might be dead." He took the key and turned it in the lock, opening the door to Kirk McKellen's cabin.

 

[BoVinE]

Dark stains covered the floor of the room, and the smell was a disgusting mixture of fruit and what had to be carrion.

A bearded sack of potatoes in the corner stood up.

"Good evening my friends! what brings you to my room on this fine... morning?"
"I've been doing some thinking on airships, and I beleive i have found quite the potential improvment! You see theres all that heavy metal slowing it down. Extra crew, passengers, backup engines, safety features, you get the gist. So what if I took all that away? What I mean is, why not make the pilot the airship? strap an inflatable bladder to him and an engine or two on his feet and he'll be the fastest courier in the world!"

"But ah, I hit a few snags." He gestured to the scattered around him." In case you haven't noticed, we're on a boat."

Hughes and Dafals stared.

"Nothing? Well teach me to try and tell a joke. Well one night I grabbed all the skins I could find, and brought them back here to work on. I couldn't just dump them out, even humans weak watered down alcohol has some taste to it. Once Each one was empty i split it, thinned it out and sew it to another... and I can see you're not too interested. Pity, I needed a test subject."

"Good God its quite a mess in here, you two wouldn't mind cleaning up would you? No? Good. I think I'll go explore."

Kirk strolled out of of the room and down the corridor.

[This post needs some slight refining. Bear in mind that all speaking is from Kirk]

 

[Sporky111]

After being missing for a good while, Kadeam finally stumbled out of a large crack in the Osprey's hull. He limped away from the hole, leaning against the side of the ship and heavily favoring his left foot. After making it almost to the front of the ship, he hit his right foot against a raised root. There was a sickening crack and he fell to the ground, screaming in a mixture of pain and frustration.

After cradling his foot in his hands for a minute, the pain subsided a bit and he tried to stand up again. Nearby, he picked up a sturdy stick and used it as a makeshift crutch so he could make it around to the other side of the ship, where the work was being done to salvage her parts.

 

[Saskwach]

"Fine. He'll get more people, but I'll be damned if he takes any of mine. Hughes! Dafals! Deslock's still got some of his Expedition lurking around here, see if you can find 'em!"

That was all the encouragement needed. Jonas rocked on his still pain body as he steadied his feet. They had been resting too long. He would head to the Osprey. Jonas mounted the nearest longboat just as it was setting off and waited. He'd be ashore and with the Osprey soon.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

"What do you think he is doing. The least he could do is help around the deck?"

"I dunno! Why don't you go and ask him. He's right there!"

"No way, what if he's in a bad mood? He might turn me into to an ogre or something. Them types are too volatile, if ya know what I mean..I had this cousin from Merchant Water who once approached one of their kind - just to ask for the time, nothing sinister..and 'poof' poor old Samwise disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He was never to be seen or heard from again"

"Now that's fu-! Oh sweet mother of Arindea..he's coming this way. Maybe he overheard us, quick pretend to look busy"

***​

Raven approached the two animated sailors as they busied themselves clearing the debris scattered throughout the deck pausing mid stride to light his long-pipe. The scene surrounding him resembled the aftermath of a battlefield and rightly so, scorch marks dotted the once pristine timbers of the ship, swivel guns lay in shambles, the mast was ruined and where there was once solid ground now lay collapsed decking. The Cepolada was disabled and yet somehow amidst the fallen rigging, fluttering sails and smoldering wood stood the members and crew of the expedition, still defiant and relatively optimistic about their future. "Curious" Raven muttered under his breath.

"Mr. Raven sir" a voice suddenly rang out "We were wondering if perhaps you would be so kind as to lend us a hand with moving some of the heavier stuff around. See Mr.Deslock has taken a majority of the help onto the island and we are running out of manpower on deck..and we thought what with you being a wizard and everything you could er- ya know, make stuff easier for us?"

Raven looked at the sailor who had spoken to him, scrutinizing every facial feature and twitch that presented itself before looking at the debris around him.

"Deslock is looking for more help is he?" Raven asked deliberately ignoring the request.

"Yes sir, I believe he sent someone to ask the captain for more hands"

"I see, thank you!" he turned and took a step towards the wheelhouse where the unmistakable shape of Captain Grummond stood. "Oh I forgot-!" Raven suddenly exclaimed turning around to see the scowling face of the sailor before him. "You asked for my help, did you not?" The sailor suddenly gulped nervously.

"Ta'baaluna!" Raven exclaimed while placing both palms on two particularly heavy crates that had being thrown onto the deck.

"You might want to guide these into the hold below and strap them in" he said pointing to the crates. "I didn't fully instruct them where to go..and..you're welcome!" a smile flashed across his face and the wizard was gone, walking briskly towards Grummond. The sailor let out deep sigh of relief as Raven disappeared into the wheelhouse, glad that he still remained human, though the wizard's last words confused him. What did he mean by "I didn't fully instruct them where to go" He turned around quizzically at his companion who also shrugged in confusion.

Sighing loudly in protest at the lack of help, they turned to resume their posts when the two crates that Raven had touched, rumbled mysteriously. They seemed to shudder from inside as if the wood was expanding somehow. There was a crack. Something seemed to grow out of a crate..it appeared to be a 'leg' or a 'pegleg' of sorts. "What is that?!" one of the sailors asked jumping back horrified. The crate had now grown four legs and was beginning to move in an erratic fashion. "Holy f-"
The second crate now erupted into sounds of groaning wood as four legs suddenly sprouted from its wooden walls.

"It's alive, the bloody things are alive!" one of sailors yelled as both crates now began to run harmlessly around the deck bumping into each other.

"Quick, grab it.!"

"Don't let them get away!"

"Bugger they are fast!"

"This is why you don't ask wizards to do menial tasks!. They have a horrible sense of humour"

"Now you tell me"

***​

Pah, fine. He'll get more people, but I'll be damned if he takes any of mine. Hughes! Dafals! Deslock's still got some of his Expedition lurking around here, see if you can find 'em!

"Captain Grummound" Raven interjected. "As a member of Deslock's expedition I nominate myself to go ashore..if there is no objections from you that is"

 

[Zemalac]

"Captain Grummound, as a member of Deslock's expedition I nominate myself to go ashore..if there is no objections from you that is."

"Absolutely not," grunted Grummond. There was a moment of awkward silence before the captain realized that what he'd said could be taken two different ways. "I mean, I have no objections. None at all. Do what you like, master wizard," he said. "Anything that you can do to help repair the ship would be greatly appreciated, and I'm sure Deslock could use your help." He watched his sailors struggling with the now animate crates on the deck below and added sourly, "Just bear in mind that this tub keeps you afloat as well. No magical experimenting, please, not on my ship."

The sailors in the longboat below waved up at the captain, and he acknowledged them with a nod. "Your chariot awaits, master wizard," he said.

_____________________​

"Watch it, watch your feet, don't drop it--holy shit--I said don't drop it! All gods damn you, don't drop it, and then you dropped it! Could someone get a medic to look at the poor man's foot?"

Deslock bounced on the balls of his feet, filled with rage at the world. Or, more specifically, at the sailors who were attempting to move the mast, but who had only succeeded in dropping it right onto the toes of one of their number, who was now collapsed to the sand, clutching his foot and swearing.

"If you're well enough to curse it out, it can't be that bad!" Deslock shouted at the man. He paused. "Wait. Did anyone else feel that?"

"Feel what?" asked a sailor, only to be interrupted by another.

"The ground just shook," he said.

"Yeah..." said Deslock slowly. "Just a little bit."

There was a silence that lasted the better part of half a minute as people exchanged glances.

"Let's hurry this up a bit, shall we?" suggested Deslock.

 

[Saskwach]

Spoiler: OOC for Skarin

I've made an assumption here, but I think it's a fair one. Wanna chat, or share an awkward silence for the sake of speed? Or perhaps have a private (PM) convo?

While he waited his mind began to wander. He thought of the woes that had beset the voyage thus far. They had been boarded by river pirates; a mysterious legion had attacked the ship, and Keil; a dragon had torn the mast off. His whole body suddenly ached at the memories.

Grummond had given Raven permission to head ashore. The two would be sharing a boat ride together. This would be...

Jonas was unsure what it would be. The wizard was an enigma. Jonas remembered his barbed questions on first greeting; he also remembered fighting together on the deck of this ship.

The boat ride would tell.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

"Just bear in mind that this tub keeps you afloat as well. No magical experimenting, please, not on my ship."

"Duly noted Captain!" Raven nodded somberly before adding "However, I think my talents are best served on shore. Once my duties to the expedition are spent I shall gladly assist in the restoration and repairs of this ship" he bowed slightly to Grummound before peering over the splintered rail to look down into the longboat.

Jonas Thrace! he muttered to himself seeing the familiar figure stare back up at him. It had being a while since Raven had seeing the man, the warrior who shook his hand back at the dock in Buron. An age ago it would seem to the wizard. Raven smiled back at Jonas as he began to gingerly climb down the rope ladder into the longboat.

"Jonas Thrace!" Raven exclaimed with a polite smile after he disentangled himself from the ladder. "It's been a while hasn't it?" Raven felt a slight bit of uneasiness around this man. "His eyes seem to be always watching, searching and judging. Bravery and courage are not his only tools. No, that would be too easy. He compliments it with great fortitude and wisdom. Qualities that make the best nemesis." Raven shook off the niggling voice in his head. "I regret we did not have much time to talk since..well..since the incident with the undead legion in Tyb. I see though that you have recovered well enough to take on a dragon. Fortune smiles upon you, it would seem" he said finally taking a seat besides Jonas.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

It was quite a long hike, especially due to Mareck's height, but he had finally made it to the peak of the Southern Mountain. And boy was it a view.

This was the taller of the two mountains, meaning that this one spot gave what could easily be described as the best view of the mountain. You could pretty much see the whole island from this one area, the only obscurance being from the North Mountain. With that exception, everything from the disasterous wreckage that was the Osprey to the shores of the island and the jungle's canvas of trees in between the two as well. It was a majestic view, but something else took his attention entirely.

Turning to face north, he saw the top of the other mountain on this island. Something took his attention here, and he focused in on its view as much as he could.

"Huh." Was all he could gather up to say out loud. He would've said something much louder in a heat-of-the-moment thought were it not for fear of giving away where he was to both the expedition and a variety of birds in the trees.

Mareck turned around to look southwards and see how far the expedition had gotten to with their repairing of the ship. As it was, it didn't seem like there was a lot of progress yet; the crew were bumbling along with their attempts to carry the mast with a small group of people surrounding a fire and doing what he would assume to be cooking. It would still be a while before the mast is back on the ship and there was still a lot of repairing and restocking to do before they could leave again, more than enough time to explore the rest of the island if he wanted to. However, the cooking down below did remind Mareck that he was a living creature, and that he does need food after climbing a mountain like that.

I'll go down to the shore to eat. Might be best if I get some fruit along the way; make it look as if I've actually done something today.

He started to scale the mountain, looking for any beaten tracks to follow so that he wouldn't have to go through the forest again. And of course, looking for fruit or animals for him and the rest of the crew to eat. No use making up an excuse if you've got no evidence of you actually doing anything.

 

[Saskwach]

"I regret we did not have much time to talk since..well..since the incident with the undead legion in Tyb. I see though that you have recovered well enough to take on a dragon. Fortune smiles upon you, it would seem"

Jonas' whole body twinged again; he grimaced.

"I abide, master Raven."

The sailors around the two noted the stilted conversation and set to working the boat onto the water. Every heave brought another jolt of pain. The sea surface looked so calm to a landlubber like Jonas, but he was fast discovering that this blue expanse was, quite fittingly, the colour of a bruise. Underneath its surface lay many a chance for aches and hardship.

Raven had a similar grimace on his own face. So this spellshaper had feelings too - nerves and sympathies. He was still intangible - and Jonas, a swordsman had never trusted what couldn't be struck at - but that seemed a poor reason for Jonas to forget his manners. Perhaps there was more to this Raven than their first meeting.

The boat struck the water.

Jonas extended his arm to the wizard, as he had that first time.

"Where are my manners? It is good to see you again. And how have you been since last we talked. I think the both of us have spent too much time in our cabins belowdecks."

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

Where are my manners? It is good to see you again. And how have you been since last we talked. I think the both of us have spent too much time in our cabins below decks

Raven looked at the open invitation for a handshake for a second. Here was someone, a complete stranger a few weeks ago - offering a symbol of friendship and understanding to a wizard. "Is it genuine? Perhaps its a facade to disarm us, a tool to blind us to the inevitable back-stab? Can he be trusted?"
"I've been good, master Thrace" Raven replied shaking the man's hand. He chose to ignore the lingering cautions whispered into his ear. Life on the expedition had done him little favors while being cautious, it was time to take some risks with trust and Jonas Thrace, thus far, has being the most consistent and competent among the lot. Raven could almost consider his an ally and..perhaps..a friend

"I am glad that we are all in one piece for starters but I can't help but feel that this expedition is plagued. There is an ill wind that hounds us and I don't know for how long we can keep outrunning it" he finally said as hopped out of the longboat landing neatly in shallow water "but at least we are off the ship and on an island that isn't trying to kill us....for now" he added trying to lift the somber tone off his last statement.

"I assume you are heading towards Deslock for instuctions?" he queried again after he managed to dump the seawater from his boots.

 

[Saskwach]

"I assume you are heading towards Deslock for instuctions?"

Always questioning, this wizard. Perhaps he was making conversation; perhaps he was needling again. Either way, there was no harm. Jonas smiled magnanimously and hopped over the side. There was no point in carefully tiptoeing off: the boat was slightly unsteady and Jonas only had one arm to hold on. Best to keep in motion.

"You assume correct. And I heard you were doing the same. Though I'm curious how a wizard would help with something as mundane as carrying a mast."

He began stepping high over and into the water, until his boots struck dry sand. Or rather, damp sand - the kind that scrunched and broke underfoot. Then there was the dry sand which clung to your wet boots. Jonas would have to wipe that off.

The Osprey wasn't far. They'd be there soon.