Fantasy Are you tired of sipping Crab Coladas? (Pirate RP) (Always Open)

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Tunnels to the Pockets​

Sebas was in a precarious position. This mage was doomed. Throughout the time they’ve been speaking, the mage has been absolutely flooding the waters with his blood due to Sebas impaling him. On one hand, he could save a little girl from a tyrannical king. On the other hand, she would become his daughter in a life of a pirate, which wasn’t freaking easy in itself. While the Basenjis were a more high-end pirate crew and there was no chance she would be victim of a horny drunk (due to the angel on their ship mercilessly killing those who commit sex crime and incinerating their souls in holy fire), it was STILL the life of a pirate. Danger of seasickness, danger of getting sunk, danger of enemy pirates. If she got captured, her protection against becoming a child slave wasn’t guaranteed anymore. The fact that she was a fishfolk was another thing. The fact that she was to be adopted by the one who killed her father was yet another thing.

The good thing is that the Angel wouldn’t allow Adonis to force her to serve under him. The bad thing is that this child’s innocence would be destroyed. The flip side is that the child’s innocence was probably non-existent as it is. This was the ocean. How many of her people if not her own siblings has she seen slaughtered? How many fish has she seen torn apart by sea predators? How many fishfolk have she seen vored by a whale or gutted by rival fishfolk?

“Looks like you’re not survivin’ this,” Sebas said, “Look, I feel for you, dying from risking your life under the threat of death for refusing.” Sebas and Ferg weren’t in a much better position if he was honest. “I don’t know if giving me an additional burden we have to escort out of here is worth the risk though.”
“Look, I want her out of here. If you take her, I will use my last magic to get you to your shark carrier.” Now it seemed like a deal. Not only would it secure them getting the chest out of here by getting to the Sub, but they wouldn’t have yet another moving part to account for in dealing with threats.

Silence for about 10 seconds while Seb pondered. He didn’t want to leave a child to death under the tyrant. He also didn’t want to carry this chest out the long way, considering they had to let go for this ambush (plus, it gets them out quicker). It would pay to do a bit of good, though it would set Sebas up for future complications, including the ever-present complication of fatherhood, let alone for a child of a different species……….which was how he grew up. A human child raised in a family of Orcs. He could extend this good will. “Fucking hell……….Look, Ferg. I’ll take on this child.” There was more tunnel to go. More ambushes to risk. 2 more ambushes and they were done. In terms of clearing the way so they don’t have to fight, Elaina and Razor couldn’t stand a chance against a force that could be teleported in to ambush them almost at will. Sebas looked down at the mage. “Get your daughter here and get us to that ship. If she tries to kill me, I’m killing her.”

“She knows nothing about any of this. I’m willing to lie and pawn this off on the viperfish if you promise to our Goddess Mariana to protect her to adulthood.”
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Red darkened the tunnel as the mage's life continued spill out, mixing with that of the others he would soon join. Fergie passed her gaze over the bodies as they sunk to the floor or rose to the ceiling, wondering what kind of sight this would be for a child. To see her own father pinned to the wall by a spear in his chest, dying, and be sent off with strangers away from home, all that she's ever known no doubt. Looking over the dead, she wondered how many had been left orphans this day—

Dammit, Fergie, yer spiralin'. Let it go.

They still had to get that damn chest up there. And while that didn't sound like much of an issue now, with half the battle being covered thanks to the offer of teleportation, there was still... It wasn't the time. There wasn't time. She could process this shit later.

"I swear it," Fergie said suddenly, swimming to hover at Sebas's side, perhaps expressing her expectation that he do the same. "I swear it to her, an' every god out there, she'll make it out of here."
Phrasing was everything when it came to oaths. She couldn't begin to comprehend the burden being asked upon them, not when her wounds were stinging, her muscles aching, every fiber of her being 100% done with this, having slipped past several near-death encounters by the skin of her teeth. But she couldn't leave a dying man in despair. It wasn't about her right now; she wasn't the one about to lose everything. He had to at least believe his daughter would be safe, in the end. Fergie could guarantee that much.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

It looked like Ferg's michevious will against Baroness was replaced with a somber realization of what it was they were doing. Killing was easier when you don't step into their shoes. They were hunting treasure. Stealing from a tyranical king and killing his oppressed subjects that wanted to escape, not guard this tyranical king's treasure with their life, guard it for the prize of NOT being vored by the species they were betrayed for. "And I swear to your Goddess Mariana that........" Sebas said, also choosing his words carefully, ".........unless your daughter attempts to end my life, her life will not come to an end without mine being ended first. This solemn oath stands until your daughter reaches adulthood. Should this oath become broken, so to shall my soul be dragged to the deepest trenches of Mariana's sea." After dealing with enough demons, Sebas knew oaths made to gods were sealed deals. He wasn't religious due to the sheer amount of divinity they encountered (including the angel they sailed with and Adonis's demonic axe/gun) not allowing him to choose one, but he did believe in religious freedom and was open-minded enough to believe that most gods that were worshipped did exist so long as they don't appear as a physical being. To Sebas, if it bleeds, it's not a god



The mage coughed up blood, further adding to the blood. Sebas would be drinking in this blood by now if not for his diving gear. "So long as this oath stands, may Mariana bless you from her deepest trenches." His words were cracked and strained and then he began to speak in a language Sebas always described as "Fishian." The mage began to glow. "Move away. Leave the spear." Sebas did as requested, knowing if he took the spear, he would kill the mage anyways.



Between the duo and the mage, a glowing ball appeared and began to glow, then it expanded then flattened into a portal. However, Sebas and Ferg couldn't see what was in it, as if it were a wall. When the ball collapsed and disappeared, in front of them was a fish person. Definitely a child. Immediately there was a gasp from the child and she frantically swam over to her bleeding out father. They started to speak in "Fishian."

"Papa! Papa!" She was already sobbing
The mage craned his head down to look at her. "Listen to me, little one. I'm doomed here."
She squeezed him harder in her hug, her head almost touching the spear. "Doomed? No, we can get help.....I can't lose you too, Papa."
"The Viperfish got to me. I've been telling you they're bad news."
She looked back to Sebas and Ferg. "Who are these? They're not one of us."
"These landwalkers discovered me here and managed to fight away the Viperfish. They tried to save me, but they're too late. I want you to go with them now."
The child started growing frantic. "No, I can't leave you here!"
He roughly grabbed her and shook her. "LISTEN TO ME!" he roared at her before almost howling in pain. "They have my blood in their systems. They will hunt you down after they eat me. Under an oath to Mariana, these landwalkers promised to take you and protect you."
"How am I gonna live with landwalkers?"
"Ask them. They will think of something. All I know is that they want to get you away from all this. Give you a fresh start in life."
"I don't want to leave you, Papa......"
"I don't want to leave you here, but I can't go on. I don't want you to end up like me."


Sebas didn't understand a word of this, but the yelling and the sobs were fairly universal. The lie the mage promised to tell his daughter would be one to take to his grave. This entire oath, this entire thing was based on a lie and Sebas couldn't help but believe he would need some divine intervention to physically prevent him from revealing the truth.

A few more words and the fish girl looked at them and, with heavy reluctance, swam towards them. Slowly. Wearily. Eyes red from crying. Body stained with blood from hugging her father. If not for the oceanic environment, he would definitely see tears splayed all over her face.
"Ummmm. Hello." Sebas said, trying to be kind, especially given her circumstances
"I don't understand what you're saying." She spoke in Fishian. Sebas couldn't understand.

Holy shit. They didn't even think about the language barrier! This child knew no English!
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Damn, Sebas really went all out. Fergie gave him a look of awe, one with a twinge of concern. It was one thing to swear to protect someone with no ties, but Sebas was setting himself up for a terrible doom if something happened to this kid. It was so easy for mortals to die; she'd risked her own life, even her own soul, for people before, only for them to perish despite her efforts. Maybe she hadn't tried hard enough. Maybe it had been out of her control entirely.

Maybe if she'd made an oath like that, they'd still be here. Or she wouldn't have to live with their blood on her hands.

Something terrible wrenched her stomach as Fergie watched the mage's final moments with his daughter. While the tone and sobs in between didn't leave much to the imagination, she found that she could pick out some of the words being spoken. Not many; this language wasn't like any of the ones she'd heard from merfolk around her corner of the world, but she could tell there was a relation somehow. She recognized "landwalker". She thought she recognized a sprinkling of others, just enough to know that he referred to their oath to protect the child. The rest was lost to her, but she didn't have to wonder the details. It was a good thing that she was wearing goggles, but still she kept her face askew from Sebas's view.

When the child approached them, demonstrating her lack of understanding, Fergie cleared her throat in an effort to fortify her voice. "Protect." She pointed at her chest, then at the child. It was all she could think to do now, but they were going to have to find a way to correct this soon. She glanced towards the dark chest, wondering... No, that couldn't work. What could the demon do, manifest a language and stuff it in the kid's head? She didn't think she could turn into an intangibility. And if she could, Fergie wouldn't dare let any unholy thing lay its hands on her, anyway. "Seb," she said upon a realization. "The Capt'n said I got one favor left." She didn't yet know the extent of his abilities either, but odds were he had some asset that could aid in breaking down the language barrier.

Fergie took her crystal between her fingers. "Elaina? We... uh, I dunno how much ye heard, but there's a kid."

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Spoiler: Fish Child's Appearance

The fish girl's yellow eyes widened as she understood Ferg's word, but recognized that she definitely didn't know much of her language since that one word was broken (like broken English). She said a quick word to her father. After a response back, she pointed to her chest. "Orabelle.....Ora." Since it made a cohesive word and she said it slow, Sebas assumed it to be her name.
Sebas pointed to his chest. "Sebas." Names transcended language. He drew his blade and glided his hand alongside it. "Protect," he said and pointed to her, copying Ferg using the word as best he could.

While the words were definitely not said correctly, Orabelle seemed to understand it closely enough. She nodded

Elaina
Outside the Pockets​

"I heard everything." she said, crossing the corner. She and Razor had been right outside their tunnel, with Elaina listening in through Sebas's crystal. They stayed back because by the time they arrived, Sebas was already speaking to the mage. She just didn't move until Ferg reached out to her. "Luckily, I know a bit of the Piscean language." Typical, given her extensive knowledge of the Runes in the Underwater Prison. "Can't say I'm fluent, but I know enough."
She looked to the child, never having seen a child of this species up close. "How curious. My name is Elaina." THOSE words were perfectly fluent.
Ora looked to the one with the best Piscean. She felt more comfortable around someone she could actually speak to. "My name is Orabelle. My father trusts these two to help me. I.......I guess you're all together."
"She says her father trusts us to help her." Elaina said, translating her words. "Yes, we will all protect you."

"Keep talking to her, Elaina," Sebas said, "We got some logistics to work out. Make sure she learns our names."

Sebas Deadeye​

Sebas thought about Ferg's Adonis favor and moved her to the side to talk privately. "You said you got unfinished business, Ferg. An Adonis Favor is too good to NOT use for yourself." he said. Those favors didn't come often and they were VERY good to have in the pocket. "I can delay my unfinished business until this oath is fulfilled. I have no plans to leave this crew anytime soon anyway." Given that his unfinished business was incredibly dangerous and now he had to essentially raise this child, Sebas wouldn't be pursuing it right now. Plus, he'd been working on the prep for years anyway. What's a few more? "What I was thinking was offering a tribute to Baroness. Remember, we get one free when we get her back to the ship." A freebie from Baroness is an offer without a tribute. That was BIG. "There are two relics of interest she can give for this: A Landwalker Relic, and a Trace Relic." A Landwalker relic was self-explanatory, a reverse water-breathing effect. Trace was a magic ability where words that are spoken or written by the caster, are heard/read in the audience's native tongue. All words the caster hears/reads are in their native language. It essentially gave universal language fluency while having no knowledge of the language. If Sebas gave these to Orabelle, she's be able to live topside with no issue and communicate with no language barriers. At that point, they'll need to work out the important things: Culture Shock, homesickness, dexterity issues, interspecies parenting, and trauma amongst what's likely a myriad of others. "If I ask for a relic, Baroness stays away from the child."


A glance at the mage moved him back to the overall task at hand. "I think we should worry about this after we get back on the ship. Mage is about to die and we need out of here before he croaks." Plus, Sebas was more eager than ever to get the hell out of this water.
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

"Thank gods Elaina's such a nerd," Fergie murmured between herself and Sebas as they moved aside. More to the point, taking in his plan for the tributes, she admitted, "Didn't think about that." She wasn't as creative about those sorts of things, and it was clear Sebas had more familiarity with curse demons in particular. Though she was more grateful that they could find a way to utilize the chest without involving her with Orabelle directly, Fergie was happy to hold onto her favor for a while longer. Like Sebas, the opposition she was to face was a deadly force indeed. Unlike Sebas, she was having to build from the ground up, after her poorly-timed vacation on Dead Man's Isle.

Fergie followed his gaze to take in the sight of the mage. She met his eyes as their light continued to dim. Pain flashed in her own. What was there to say? An apology? Gratitude? It felt inappropriate to stare in silence, but the words wouldn't come. Her gaze retreated, falling back onto their prize. "Prize"... the word made her ill to think it now.

Gritting her teeth, she said in a curt hiss, "Let's finish this," swimming past Sebas and towards the chest.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

"Aye, time to get my pint," Sebas acknowledged. On the way to the chest behind Ferg, he gave his orders. "Elaina, we're going into a portal with this chest. That portal will take us to Sub. I want you and Razor to swim to Sub." It shouldn't be too hard since Razor was incredibly OP down here, an absolute fishfolk menace. His first thought was to keep Orabelle with Elaina and Razor. However, Sebas had to remember that they were the ones who wasted all these fishfolk. Orabelle would bear witness to a genocide of her people at the metal hands of Razor. Ora needed to be with THEM "From there, we will provide cover and then hitch all of you rides back up to ship."



He grabbed his crystal. "Sebas to Sub."
"Go ahead Sebas."
"What does it look like up there?"
"An absolute hot zone, but we're not in any danger as we're getting long distance support from Big Daddy."
"Bring out your biggest ordinance and I want hostiles wasted before Elaina is visible."
"What will you and Ferg do?"
"We have an accursed chest that we absolutely MUST keep in hand, so we're being teleported directly into the sub."
"Acknowledged. Hurry up, my ass is hurting from sitting in this seat."
"Yeah well my ass is freezing and bleeding in this cold-ass water. What's the weather?"
"According to reports, it's raining topside and it's nighttime by now. Expect it to be dark when we ascend."
"Acknowledged. Out"

He turned to the dying mage. "Mage, let's get this portal going before those Viperfish come back," Sebas said. Or you croak first, he thought.
The mage coughed. "I need my stave." Orabelle was on it. She swam to her father and grabbed the stave and passed it to him. "I promise I will make you proud, Papa," she said to him.
He began to glow, but took off a necklace he had. "I want you to have this and then my stave." he told his daughter.
They kept on speaking, with Orabelle's sobs breaking her language too much for Elaina's limited translation ability. "There's a buildup of magic, a second portal. We must move!"


The leading duo moved back to their respective sides of the chest. "Alright, Baroness. Time to complete your little challenge." he said with a laugh. "We're getting a portal back to Sub."
"WHAT?!" She was indignant. "You can't do that!!"
"Says who? It's not against the rules so we're doing it," Sebas said bluntly. "Your little shriek has ended in me becoming an interspecies adoptive father. If I could kill you, I would."
"My shriek saved your pathetic life. Be thankful."
"You're not a hero for putting out a fire you started," Sebas retorted, wishing he had powers to make this demon mute, "Now shut up before I use a tribute to literally take a shit in your mouth." Sebas could've sworn he heard a zipping sound

Hand poised near the handle. "1, 2, 3, Lift!"
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Once she understood what Sebas's plan was, she was quick to ask, "Elaina, make sure the kid knows not to touch the chest." A shock of Black Thunder would undoubtedly kill a fishfolk child, if it could put someone like Razor in a coma. "Shit, Seb. Got yer soul on the line from a demon an' a god in one day."

Fergie couldn't bear to watch the father and child's interactions any longer, but wouldn't let her out of her peripherals, though her main focus would be to navigate the chest through the final stretch. "Takin' everythin' in me to not kick this damned thing." If she had her boots on rather than flippers— soon no footwear at all— she definitely would have. They lifted the chest in unison, and a shudder passed over her body when the cold resumed its assault on her skin. The silver lining was that it was starting to numb the pain in her arm, after the initial sting of salt on her wound.

A chill from something else entirely made the hairs on her neck stand. "Seb?" Her eyes flickered across the tunnel; what she thought had been blood darkening the waters was growing oppressive, an inexplicable dread weighing in her stomach and urging her to glance over her shoulder, into the distant darkness. Her eyes saw nothing, but her gut told her it was coming. "Bloody hell, we've been chummin' the water!" she realized. There was no way all that blood wouldn't have been detected, especially after this long.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

"Yup." Realization hit him like a fist to the gut, evidenced by the intense churning that began when Ferg said it. "They're about send an onslaught of Viper fish to tear anything and everything apart," Seb said, beginning to sweat despite the cold now clawing at his body like an angry cat. Best case scenario? They send a couple of berserkers. Worst case? An absolute army of small ones. Regardless, Sebas wasn't about to let Elaina stay in this. Even Razor couldn't take on an army of blood rabid Viperfish without desperate defensive maneuvers.
"Get that portal open now or every one of us dies!"

Knowing it'd include the blood-soaked Orabelle, the mage lifted his staff with urgency and the portal began to open. When looking inside, one could see the interior of the sub and the driver, who looked back at them. From the darkness, multiple dark magic sigils glowed a dim purple and they could hear the chatter of teeth and the sounds of a flurry of fish exiting it.

Then the gist of their numbers became known as the blood had to have entered their system. Easily at least a hundred red eyes and less but bigger eyes alongside them. Elaina wanted to shit herself. "We can't possibly fight out of this!"
"Change of plans!" Seb yelled out, "Fuck it, we're ALL getting in the portal!" It would be a terrible squeeze, but it was either that or certain death. They can't out swim viperfish in a regular scenario, let alone when they're bloodlusting in a closed off tunnel. Sebas could only imagine death to be like being swarmed to be eaten by a hundred hungry rabid rats. "Ferg and I first." Otherwise that chest would kill Orabelle by potentially slamming on her and turning her body into black lightning cinders. "Move! Move!" Sebas kicked as hard as he could to the portal, taking a bite in the leg from a small viperfish like it was a mosquito.

First through the portal was the chest carrying duo, who slammed into the very back wall, blocking off the bathroom. Sebas felt an amazing sense of relief at feeling something that's dry and warm. No more swimming. "Why the hell are you and Ferg missing clothes?!" Sub driver asked.
"Cursed chest, dammit."

Their exchange didn't finish as Orabelle's foot slapped him right in the face and knocked him onto the chest. Good thing too, because Elaina dropped landed right on top of them, taking care to not touch the chest, and she was holding Razor, who decided to withhold his metal to reduce space.
Orabelle screamed something in Piscean Sebas could only assume was along the lines of calling for her father, and Seb held her back with ease from going back into the portal to her death. One couldn't help but hear the anguished screams of Ora's father as he began to get torn to shreds by the Viperfish, which were so numerous and hazed by blood that one couldn't couldn't even see the Fishman.

The last thing that came through the portal, which dropped on Ferg's head, was the stave. Sebas sat holding an absolutely traumatized, screaming, and crying Orabelle, not even caring to pluck the Viper fish off his leg. The man felt numb, like he lost a colleague. Knowing everything that happened, it was tragic.
"This wasn't the first time a Fish person bled like that around a Viperfish. They showed restraint then...... So why now did they attack EVERYTHING?" Elaina asked, visibly shaken by what just transpired. This isn't what she signed up for. This was exactly why Elaina preferred to survey environments, not go there with them. The answer to her question was obvious.
Sebas just sighed, wanting to drink, but needing to comfort this child as soon as he could speak with her. He hugged the sobbing Ora with his only free hand while sitting on top of the chest. A warm bed, ale, a bath, some demon tail, for Orabelle to not have witnessed what she did, to be done with this......... "Good work, team...." another sigh and a longing somber look out the nearest window. "...... Mission Accomplished."

WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Fergie was about as religious as she was a saint, but if the sight and sound of a thousand glowing eyes and a million gnashing teeth weren't enough to put the fear of gods in her, she didn't know what would. And they did. "Oh Mariana, help."

Too many expletives to count flew out of her mouth as she pushed the chest alongside Sebas. Everything after was a blur: warm air enveloping her, pain in her side from crashing into the wall, bodies falling out of the portal, screaming and crying. Gods, the screaming...

And a solid whack to her noggin. "Butt-fuckin' hell...!" She was only distantly aware of what had caused the welt growing on her head, focused on prying off the goggles, the mask, everything keeping her from getting a breath of fresh air. Well, as fresh as stale submarine air could be. "Are we...?" The portal disengaged, leaving puddles of water and flopping viperfish underneath. She made a quick headcount. Orabelle, Sebas, Elaina, Razor, Sub... some in various states of battered and bruised, but with all limbs attached. Except for hers, but she lost that leg years ago.

"Goddamn, we did it." It felt a little surreal to be sitting there, with not only their lives but the treasure they'd been sent down for. Better than that treasure, probably. Though no amount of treasure could beat not being dead. "Feel like I could beat Capt'n in a drinkin' game this time, aft that shitshow an' a half." She entertained thoughts of downing the entire keg Seb promised her, and ignored the possible reality of her passing out after half a pint.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

The rest of the night

The Sub ascended, the crew disembarked. The challenge was completed. As per the stipulations, Baroness bestowed both Sebas and Ferg with a freebie favor to be used at their leisure and then given the Baroness Relic, used to summon her for the purposes of proposing another tribute (or using their freebie if they haven't) or potentially taking on another challenge for another freebie. Sebas and Ferg both got a TON of gold and jewels from the accursed chest, including Sebas gaining another Relic, the Everquench Canteen.

Spoiler: Relic Information (LORE Entry)

Everquench Canteen​

Description: After filling the canteen to at least halfway and then closing it, this canteen never runs dry of almost any liquid that is put inside of it, so long as the liquid is NOT living or part of a living being (like a slime), or pure magic liquids (like potions of pretty much any kind). If another liquid is put in there, it completely replaces the liquid that was in there before. The canteen retains the properties of the liquid inside. If you put ice cold water in it, it will pour out that water when picked up years later

Note: The canteen does not begin Everquenching until it is CLOSED. It must be filled to at least halfway and THEN CLOSED before it begins. If another liquid is put into it, the liquid does not permanently change until it is filled halfway and then closed, allowing one to pour out the new liquid should they change their mind. However, in that case, the second liquid will be mixed with the first, effectively ruining the second liquid


Benefits:

• Never-ending stream of liquid, from water to alcohol to gasoline to acid to poison.
• Indestructible
• Retains properties of whatever is inside. A halfway full canteen of holy water will give you a never-ending stream of holy water

Weaknesses:

• Anti-Magic will disable the canteen for 12-24 hours (depending on the strength of the anti-magic) from the time it leaves anti-magic influence, rendering it a normal everyday canteen
• Tangible solids will render the canteen useless until the tangible solids are purged. This includes ice.
• Does NOT purify, corrupt, or otherwise alter anything inside of it
• 1 liquid at a time. If you have a liquid to mix, don't mix it in this canteen or you'll lose the first liquid. A mixed liquid must be put in there as a whole (post-mixed)
• The liquid inside can be altered if done while the canteen is open. For example, if you put in ice cold water and then shoot fire directly inside of the bottle, the water will heat up. One must then pour cold water back into it. If you pour sand into the water, you must empty it and refill with purified water.

As for what Ferg got, that was for Ferg to go over for herself.

Both of them got a massive amount of spoils from the chest, as did Elaina and Sub Pilot getting less but still a lot. Razor and the rescued crewmen didn't get any spoils, but they were allowed medical care, mana replenishment and to stay on ship until they docked for whoever didn't join the crew. A few did stay and they would effective be on cleaning duty until they regained all their strength from the time of malnourishment and mana deprivation. Razor departed as soon as his mana was completely replenished.

Everyone was offered medical care, especially for Seb and Ferg since they were easily the most injured. Seb took some enchanted painkillers and an enhanced health potion and that would have to do for tonight, though he knew his injuries would most likely sustain tomorrow and maybe even the next day.

Everyone on the ship celebrated, but Sebas was too business-minded to join in the festivities beyond a single drink. Too many obligations to celebrate tonight

The Next Morning

Sebas Deadeye
Sebas's Quarters​

Seb was operating on extremely little sleep. He used his freebie from Baroness last night to give Orabelle a Landwalker Relic so she could live fairly easily on land. He then used all of his gained gold from the mission to buy another tribute, which he used to give Orabelle a Trace Relic so she could speak to everyone

Sebas was sore all over and still hurting. Some fish bites, some spear thrusts, the HOURS they spent swimming all made for incredible soreness. His mind was in a haze not only from sleep deprivation, but from the aftermath of yesterday. Orabelle lay sleeping on his chest. After hours of grieving and finally being able to speak to her, he managed to calm her down just enough to go to sleep. Then there was the time he spent vehemently arguing against the ship's leadership and giving them a piece of his mind for letting Elaina down there to do what she wasn't trained to do, discussing Orabelle, and being reassured by the angel that Mariana was most definitely the Goddess of the Deepest Deeps and that his oath to the mage was spiritually binding.

So as he looked up at his ceiling and tried to ignore the soft breathing on his chest of this little girl dressed in his extremely oversized shirt due to the lack of clothing suitable for a small child, he didn't want to get out of this bed. Mental exhaustion and physical pain and soreness. Luckily he was off today, as was Ferg since they weren't fit enough to run another mission. He had to move though and get some knowledge on Fishfolk. Orabelle would likely be waking soon

Elaina
Elaina's Room​

Elaina woke up looking at black and white text

Spoiler: Piscean Lore (Lore Entry)

The People of Pisces​

There are 3 types of Pisceans:

Gill-Borne

The Gill-Borne (aka fishfolk) which is a broad term and divided by specific types of humanoid fishlings. For comparison's sake, the gill-borne essentially look like walking fish. Not many human characteristics. The Gill-Borne are highly religious and serve what they call the Goddess of the Deepest Deeps, a name translated as Mariana. It is believed that this is why the Mariana Trench is named as such.

Sirens

Sirens are the type of human/fish hybrid characterized by a human face with fish features, a normal-looking human body (adapted for long term subaquatic exposure), and long fish tails. Sirens include a subsect called Merfolk (mermen and mermaids), but only Sirens socialized by humans deem themselves as anything besides Sirens. Sirens attribute their origins to the God Kaimana, who was seafaring human who achieved God status by leading the charge to defeat an ancient fire demon seeking to expand the land by drying up the ocean. Sirens that mate with Gill-Bone make sirens that have more Fish traits. Sirens that mate with other Sirens and Tritons form Sirens with more human characteristics. However, Sirens that mate with landwalkers form sirens that are known to be incredibly alluring for the species they've mated with

Tritons

Tritons are the most humanoid of the Piscean People, characterized by almost completely human bodies adapted for long term subaquatic living. Webbed hands and feet, bluish-green skin color depending on region and possibly distance from the surface, and a fiercely overclocked warm-blooded system that keeps them from freezing. While this description is typical, it is not uncommon to see Triton/Siren hybrids, or Tritons that can live outside the water (though this one is less common), as Tritons are able to mate the same way as Sirens. However, Tritons are most able to produce offspring that are able to live on both land and water. With magic influence, Tritons can tailor their lives to ultimately live on land or live in the sea full time, using magic to change themselves to adapt how they need to live most efficiently in the environment of their choosing.

"No wonder I went to sleep," Elaina sighed, moving her head in circles to get rid of the crick in the neck she developed. She was absolutely fascinated by Orabelle and Sebas's newfound obligation to raise and protect her. She knew Sebas was in a similar situation, a human raised by orcs. However, there was an entire environmental barrier between the two, let alone all the other stuff. Like a scientist, she wanted to observe this and help to the best of her ability, especially given the unsettling thing they all witnessed last night.

Unlike Seb and Ferg, Elaina didn't get the reward of a break. Her injuries were minor enough for a health potion, she wasn't THAT sore, and she didn't arrive until nearly the end. Ugh, she thought.
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

(Long-ass post incoming)


Fergie didn't wake up in her quarters that morning.

A flickering in the corner brought her to wince, enough to stir her from sleep and far too much to dare opening her eyes at. "Nnngh... stupid lantern... left on..." When her hands fanned out, feeling the surface she was laid upon, they grasped over loose sheets rather than the taunt material of her hammock. "... Wha...?" Through the waves of malaise that pulsated through her body, she recognized the addition of the ship's simple rocking with the water, something that definitely felt accentuated to her when used to sleeping aloft from the deck. Not that she ever got seasick, but... goddamn, did she feel sick.

"Rise and shine, lovely!"
A voice that she would have described as chiming in better circumstances pierced her ringing ears like sharp needles, making her wince again. Somehow she knew it was just her ears this time, and that the morning bell had long since rang. Light shifted again behind her lids, and she heard illegible words and footsteps approach; growling, she opened her eyes a sliver, just enough to see a blurry smile engulf her narrow vision.
"How are you feeling?"
"Egh..."
"Wonderful!"
Fergie had the mind to ask how in the hell that earned a "wonderful", but the healer was already striding away, to wherever the trickling of water sounded.
"Much better than last night, when you dropped onto the deck. Concussions happen that way best, you know!"
There was a dull ache in the side of her head, she realized. And literally everywhere else in her body, but the focal point of pain was centered there. Tentative fingers rose to touch the area, and flinched away when the pressure made her hiss.
"We relocated you here in the sickbay to monitor your condition. Make sure you don't vomit in your sleep and drown, other such things. Happens more often than you'd think!" She walked back, and Fergie fought against the heaviness of her eyelids to make out whatever it was on the tray she was setting on the countertop by her bed. "Thankfully, you didn't start doing that until you came to. Though you cried in your pillow for quite a while after, which was concerning, but you don't seem worse for wear now."
"I DO NOT CR—" She'd flown into a sitting position in less than a second. Instant regret and rising nausea, vision swimming with leftover booze. "Oh shit."
"The chamber pot is on your— oh good, you found it! The floor thanks you!"
Once she was done emptying the bile from her stomach, Fergie was met with a wet washcloth and a full cup being thrust into her space.
"Wash yourself off and drink. I'm sure you're parched!"
Shaky hands took both, which were looked at with hesitance. "I gotta piss."
"Well, you already found where to take care of that!"

The healer walked away, not to give her privacy like she presumed, but to attend to the patient seated in the bed beside her. She was nursing the shoulder of that big-ass orc man who was part of the survivors, wrapping it up in fresh bandages until the red from the old ones was obscured. He offered Fergie a wide smile, one that didn't match the exhaustion in his eyes.
"Ferg, was it?"
"Fergie."
"Wipe your face, Fergie. Don't wanna see that."
She did, taking a sip from her cup afterwards. She marveled a bit when she realized it was plain water, which was almost impossible to store on ships during long voyages without the aid of magic. Though she supposed that was no trouble for this crew. Fighting the next wave of nausea that came, she asked after swallowing it down, "Did I win?"
"Sorry?"
"The drinkin' game. Did I win?"
"No. Passed out first."
"Shit..."
"Don't think you were even participating, now that I think of it."
The healer had finished pinning the new bandage and gave them both a sunny smile. "You'll keep each other company, yeah? I'll be back soon, lovelies!"
Once she left them, presumably to see the other survivors, he continued, "You were sitting by your partner, in your own little corner, chuggin' ale like there was no tomorrow. Dropped as soon as he left."
"Hell if I remember." Too bad she still remembered all the shit that happened last evening. Every gruesome detail.
"You didn't miss much, honestly." The orc scratched at the hem of his fresh bandage. "Some jack pushed some crates overboard and got yelled at by your quartermaster, but that was the highlight."

Fergie didn't have the strength to laugh, though she did snort. She needed more than that to distract herself from the nausea. And the pain. And everything else. Reaching into her pants pockets, she pulled out a little wood carving crudely in the likeness of a wide-bodied fish, rolling it in her palm while affection tweaked the corner of her mouth. Her other hand pulled out a pocket knife, which was given an odd look upon seeing it unfolded. She gave it an even odder look when she realized it looked nothing like hers. "This isn't mine."
"Yeah it is." The orc shuffled in his seat until his muscled legs uncrossed and hung over the side of his bed. "It's that doohickey you got from the chest. The one that changes into whatever tool you want?"
She turned the handle, taking in its polished wood hilt and flawlessly sharpened blade. Not a sign of water damage, despite what could have been years spent soaking in saltwater. "No shit?"
"No shit."
"Ah, startin' to recall." Instead of whittling, she envisioned another task, with another item. A cork in a bottle of wine, like one she still had to conjure for the captain somehow. The metal of the blade shifted and morphed, twisting into a screw shape. "Fuckin' score."
"Aye, you don't see that sort of thing every day."
"It's got somethin' written on it." She squinted at the handle. "'Dickhead'? Dickhead's Doohickey?"
"That's... not English." He was leaning closer to read the letters carved on its hilt. "And somehow I doubt it translates to 'Dickhead'."
"It looks like 'Dickhead'."
"Someone said it was called 'the Craftsman's Boon', or something? One of your leaders."

Spoiler: Relic information (Lore entry)

Craftsman's Boon

Description: A polished wood hilt of a simple design with archaic characters etched in both sides. Manifests a metal tool of the user's imagining when held in hand. Metal only manifests when touched, otherwise only the handle maintains its integrity. Uses Transformation and Metal magic.

Benefits:

• Manifests a metal tool when held, whatever the user can imagine and know how to use.
• Impervious to weather and wear and tear. Both hilt and tool nearly indestructible.
• Pocket-sized for convenience.

Weaknesses:

• Only manifests a tool that the user has the knowledge and understanding of. Requires the user to visualize the desired tool in some capacity. Simple tools are easier to manifest, complex tools difficult.
• Can only manifest tools up to 4 inches in length. Cannot manifest proper weapons, like daggers or blades. Limited to utility tools, like carving knives, saws, tweezers, etc.
• Can only manifest metal. No complex machinery that requires additional components.
• Metal must remain attached to hilt. Can't make projectiles.
• Other Metal/Transformation magic can interfere with the tool, weakening its integrity or distorting it completely.

"I still like 'Dickhead's Doohickey'."
He looked like he was about to question her, but instead relented. "Got the alliteration, I guess."
"The wot?"
"The thing where you..." He waved a hand. "Never mind."
"What's yer name, anyhow?"
He leaned back, rolling his bad shoulder despite wincing as he did. "Not Barry."
"... Think I'll call ye Wiseass."


Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye and Orabelle Alahala
Sebas's Quarters​

Orabelle stirred and saw the human she was laying on, then shrieked, jumping up and away from him. Sebas felt his ear drums scream in pain and his heart skip a few beats.
"Where am I? What am I we-" she looked down at her shirt, recognizing it at Sebas's oversized shirt. It was at that moment she realized that this was NOT in fact a dream. The nightmare that plagued her last night of her father being torn to shreds had to have happened. "Mariana help me. I'm actually living amongst landwalkers now......."
"Orabelle," Sebas said, "Put on your Trace Relic." He couldn't understand a word she was saying. The relic of interest was sitting on the desk Ora was standing in front of

Ora didn't understand him but she did understand his pointing. Turning around, she noticed the relic that allowed her to talk to her guardian last night, the human that saved her life and staked his soul to Mariana to protect her. She didn't know him or really even trust him that much, but she did know that unless he wanted his soul dragged into the Deepest Deep to suffer Mariana's wrath, he would protect her.
When she put the relic on, it glowed a bit then dimmed down to a virtually unnoticeable unless the room was absolutely pitch black. She could now understand Sebas muttering about his pained ear due to her shriek, which Ora was certain she unadvertedly put some mana into to turn into a spell, right in his ear. The girl quickly bowed. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, "I didn't mean to. I just got scared an-"
"Stop," Sebas interrupted, his ears ringing in the aftermath. "I understand why you're scared. It's fine."
"I must atone.......What shall be my penance?"

Sounds like Catholicism, Sebas thought. Regardless, now he needed to learn an entire religion, especially since he was now serving Mariana anyways. "No need, Orabelle. I'm fine. Just......get it together." he said in a forcibly softening voice. The man was used to yelling at idiots on this ship, not trying to comfort a child. "Take a breath, look around, process reality."


The shriek could be heard almost across this wing, which held the high ranking crew (but lower than ship leadership.) and the Medical Bay. This meant Elaina and Ferg both heard it from their respective rooms.

Elaina Melora D'Umbra
Medical Bay​

The shriek prompted her to leave her room to find the origin. The first stop was the medical bay, where Ferg and the orc survivor were having their injuries tended to. Plus, she needed to return the potion bottles she was given. A quick knock and opening. "Hey doc?" she peeked in before entering fully. Seeing Ferg and the Orc survivor in the room distracted her, drawing a bit of concern from those injuries and Ferg having drank last night like Orabelle will need to drink water. "Hello hello," she greeted them. First to the orc survivor. "I don't know your name, but thank you for protecting me down in the Pockets."
"You're welcome," he nodded. "My name is Bogrum."
Next to Ferg. "As for you, I'm sure your liver is still crying from last night." Elaina was one of few NON-drinkers on the ship. When your senses were as enhanced as hers were, getting drunk had even less appeal. Then that on top of seeing people vomit and start fights took all desire to drink out of her after that one time where her senses were so compromised that they started to scramble. The experience was so surreal and scary that alcohol took a permanent backburner.

She took a seat at the foot of Ferg's bed. "Seb left Orabelle with me to come celebrate with you, then came back a short time later. Since he wasn't even buzzed, I guess he had too much on his mind to even drink." Even she felt the desire to drink after seeing Orabelle watch her father be eaten alive. "I went in for a shift last night and saw you going under, so I had them cut you off. You were 2 mugs from severe alcohol poisoning." Elaina's Sensory Magic was a massive asset to multiple aspects of the ship. She literally got paid good money to come in and assist with the Mess Hall. To inspect the food to ensure it's safe and, more often, to look at the drinkers and advise on whether to cut them off so they don't drink themselves to death. Ferg had drank more than she did when she went against Adonis, starting to near the amount HE drank at that time, but Elaina cut it off before that point. Adonis's point that night could very well be Ferg's death point. Maybe she'd survive, but Elaina wouldn't let last night be a testing point. "Ya really gotta know when to bring it in, Fergie," Elaina said with an air of concern she knew would probably be brushed off. "Luckily you have the day off to recover."
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Both the orc and Fergie jolted in their seats when the shriek pierced through the wall. He was quick to relax. "Is that her? The child you found?"
Fergie still held a stiff poise, reaching for her drink to chase the dryness rising in her throat. "Aye."

By the time Elaina entered, Fergie was staring vacantly into her cup, almost wishing it were more ale instead of water. She mentally kicked herself. "Mornin'." Wasn't exactly a good morning, but it certainly was a morning. One that she had no hope for improving, especially when Elaina took a seat on her bed, signifying the scolding to come. A scoff seemed to be the only response she'd grace her with, but the sour look she was sending askance weakened when she considered what was being said. "Wastin' me day off feelin' like shit," was the closest she felt like coming to admitting her irresponsibility.

She almost didn't want to ask, but anything would have been better than this topic. "Where are they now? Seb an' the lass?" On that vein of thought, anything would have been better than laying around and rotting in the medbay. Against the groaning protests of her body, she kicked away from the covers and swung her legs over so her feet touched the floor. "I'm gonna find 'em. We need to talk." Rising to an uneven stand made the groaning turn into screaming. Everything went blurry and started spinning. "Hnng fuck—"
Bogrum was already bolting up to try to catch her, but she let herself fall against the wall before she could collapse. When she tried to push herself with her arms, they quivered almost as badly as her legs were. "I'm— I'm good. I got it."
"No you're not. Sit back down."
"Who appointed ye captain, Wiseass?" Fergie bit back before swallowing another wave of nausea. It washed back in with a vengeance, and she found herself quickly fumbling back to her bed for her chamber pot. The floor was barely spared.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Elaina Melora D'Umbra
Medical Bay​

Elaina winced at Ferg's pain and helped her back on the bed, and used magic to turn off her sense of smell when Ferg vomited again. "You're not fit to be moving right now," she said, agreeing with Bogrum. "Plus, I wouldn't defy the Head Doctor." The beautiful woman that was talking to them before leaving to tend to other patients was the head doctor. The woman was obviously as kind as she was stunning. If Elaina was warning Ferg against defying the doctor's orders, there had to be a less soothing side to her. "If you want to talk to Seb, at least let me go get him," Elaina said. "You definitely fared worse than him." Probably due to the alcohol. "Both of you rejected Stasis, yet you drink yourself almost to oblivion and he didn't." Stasis is a procedure where you're cryogenically frozen by a trained Medical Ice Mage. While your body is frozen and essentially shutting down, you're healed at hyper speed. Considering their injuries, had either of them chose Stasis, they would both be 100% fine with all injuries gone within like an hour (maybe 2 for Ferg). However, the prospect of being frozen didn't sit well with most people on the ship, and understandably so.

"I'll bring Seb in." Elaina quickly left the room, hustling to go get Sebas. However, when she came to his door, there was a magic barrier around it. Very few on this ship could produce a nigh unbreakable magic barrier. Either it was the head doctor (impossible), the librarian (unlikely), or one of ship leadership. Reading the magic to find its origin, it came from the angel Evangeline. Why would Evangeline be in Sebas's room?

Elaina touched the wall right beside the door and heightened her hearing so she could listen in on what was being discussed


Meanwhile, the head doctor came back and saw that Ferg had finished vomiting. With a snap of her fingers, the vomit in the pot disappeared alongside what would be the rancid alcohol-laden smell that would've permeated the medical bay. That explained why Ferg's pot was completely empty despite having vomited into it a couple of times before. "Thank you for sparing the medical bay floor. I can't snap it away if it's not in the pot," she said, her cheery voice seeming very soothing, at least to Bogrum. Soft-spoken, comforting, and with a deepness that made it easy to listen to, not the annoying kind that came from high pitched peppy energetic style. "Since your system was filled with nearing a lethal amount of alcohol, you may be in here a bit longer than usual." she looked at her clipboard. "Another 3 days or so before you're fit enough to leave. This can be shortened to tomorrow if you take Stasis after you're sobered up. I can also give you some painkillers after you've sobered up." She looked to Ferg from her clipboard with only her eyes, "There's a common theme in this."
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

While in the throes of violent retching, Fergie didn't have the mind to refuse aid and shake Elaina off, let alone the strength. She didn't protest the contact; in fact, she made little indication that she could even acknowledge it, eyes glazed over and tongue lolled out over the pot. "Sick as a dog" sufficed all too well. "Hhhhgth..." was her very eloquent acceptance of Elaina's offer to fetch Sebas herself, and went back to spilling her guts out as she left the medbay.

By the time the doctor returned, Fergie had rolled over onto her back, limbs splayed out in awkward angles across the bed that she lacked the energy or care to correct. The doctor started talking, and she listened best she could, in no state to start protesting or back-talking. Though she was loathe to comply, she knew she had no choice, not to mention right, the situation being her own damn fault. And she'd caught onto Elaina's subtle warning against defying orders. Many a healer had snapped trying to aid her, bedside manner thrown out the porthole once it was clear soothing words weren't enough to keep her stubborn ass in bed. The surgeon of her previous ship was notorious for going so far as to sit on unruly patients to keep them from stumbling out the medbay and refracturing any number of injured limbs. That hadn't been fun for a bag of twigs like her. But getting sat on by this doctor didn't seem quite as bad, she had to wonder.

Fergie's gaze flicked back up to her face at the mention of Stasis. Just the thought of it brought chills, and not the good kind. She'd already spent enough time freezing her tits off in frigid water, so the last thing she wanted was even more cold. But damn... three days? Laying around feeling like shit, and not working? She didn't think she could deal with so much as one day in the medbay without clawing at the walls, how would she manage three before losing her mind? Her decision was made pretty quickly. "Ugh, fuck it. I'll do Stasis." She dreaded it already, but no amount of cold feet would stop her from cutting her period of uselessness in half. Once she was done talking to Sebas, her business would be finished until she could function again.

The doctor's last words made her brows knot. "Eh? What're ye gettin' at?" Maybe the answer was obvious, but she could barely think when the walls around her were continuing to spin.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Medical Bay​

"♪She braves frigidity to best fragility. Oh, this is why I love my job♪," she cooed over Ferg with her sing-songy voice. While this could potentially come off as condescending to Ferg, she seemed more like a doting mother to Bogrum. Regardless, her voice calmed Ferg's stomach a bit as well as somewhat calming Bogrum's throbbing spear wound. There were magical properties to her voice. "After the alcohol stops making you feel as lovely as you look, I will commence Stasis. At the rate of your sobering, you should be out of here a-ok near......" she checked her clipboard, "...........2 am"

"Can I leave yet?" Bogrum asked.

She looked at the clipboard again. "Not until the alcohol is out of your system. Like our lovely lady here, alcohol has delayed your recovery."

"Can I at least get some painkillers?"

"♪Like the lovely lady here.......♪" she sang, but didn't complete the thought. While the song soothed them both again, it would never be a match for the morphine-strength painkillers she was known to give them. Those painkillers the Head Doctor specifically gave them could make a spear thrust through the shoulder feel like a flirtatious punch in the arm

"Can't you like......cure my drunkenness?" Bogrum asked impatiently. "Hell, I'll take Stasis too to be out of here."

"I could......but Evangeline prevents me from doing so without conditions."
WayfaringWaaksian

Elaina Melora D'Umbra
Outside Sebas's Quarters​

"Do you trust Fergie?" It was Evangeline's voice.
"Yeah, I do." Sebas's voice was gruff and annoyed, "We saved each other's asses under the waves. What are you getting at?"
"Nothing in particular. You're higher ranking than a lot of pirates on this ship. You just worked with her, so we ask these sorts of questions."
"Why are you in my room, angel?" Elaina couldn't help but wince at hearing Sebas talk to leadership like this. While Elaina and Sebas were lateral equals all things considered, Elaina was more fearful of talking to literal divinity like that. She could also hear Orabelle, but she was speaking Piscean and speaking mostly words Elaina couldn't understand. She must not have on her Trace relic, so Elaina deafened her ears to Orabelle specifically
"I have a name, mortal." Evangeline's voice hardened.
"Hypocrisy keeps me from caring," Sebas fired back immediately. He sounded like he did when he was talking to Baroness. Maybe he had something against divinity? "You're in here for a reason."
"As you know, I am an angel."
"Oh wow. I'm talking to an angel?"
"If sarcasm and smart-assery were a Provocation condition, I'd have ripped out your tongue by now."
"Yeah, well it's not," Sebas retorted, "I'm hungry, so get to the point."
"I got summoned by the Deepest Deep to take on your case."
"So you'll be hovering around me more than I want you to. So what?"
"Because I am who will be dragging your soul to the Deepest Deep should you fail your oath."


The silence made it clear to Elaina that Evangeline caught Sebas off guard. "So what should I be aware of here?"
"For one, you are now in service to Marianna. She is your Goddess. You are to claim no other lest I drag your soul down for blasphemy." She paused. "More importantly, I will be watching you like a hawk. Harm to children is already my Provocation condition, but any harm to her by anyone can be my Provocation condition towards YOU......so I would stay in good graces."
"Huh," So, if Orabelle is in danger, you will attack me.........You'd seem smarter if you had come here to whip em out." A bit sleazy, which was well known to Elaina, but Sebas was obviously fed up. As long as he didn't direct his sleaziness towards HER, he was fine. Conditionally accepting sleaziness from pirates was an unfortunate reality for the women on the ship. However, in Elaina's experience, he only did it towards immortals and divinity
She growled. "Objectification of women is also one of my Provocations, mortal."
"Provocation, provocation. How about you provoke some smarter thoughts to manifest?" Sebas fired back aggressively, "It's stupid to attack me if Orabelle is in danger."
"I'm only stating the facts. We will be getting to know each other VERY well henceforth, Sebas."
"Yay, I get to learn everything about you except the one thing I care about."
"Not in your wildest dreams."
"Oh you're DEFINITELY in some of my wild dreams. Last night, it was alongside Baroness," Sebas brushed her off, "If you're done, I have business to tend to."
"Ugh," Her disgusted tone was palpable and Elaina had to stifle a giggle. Getting this much of a rise out of them was pretty funny. "Elaina is waiting. She's heard all of this."

Elaina gasped and removed her hand, heart pumping. She knew the entire time Elaina was listening in. Eavesdropping on leadership was an easy way to get on that person's bad side, and understandably so. She was foolish to believe that even her fairly hard to sense magic could fly under the radar of probably the most powerful being on the ship.

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Sing-song words were one of the faster ways of bringing a "the nerve of this bitch" look on Fergie's face. Faster still was the wave of calm that settled over her churning innards, so while she certainly felt the need to shoot up and give the doctor a piece of her mind initially, she instead turned away when her expression changed to a despondent pout. It deepened when the doctor continued to talk. Far more likely was it her sickly state being teased, rather than her... general visage. But it was hard for a ghastly creature like herself to not feel a touch self-conscious around a beautiful woman. The Baroness was different, being an entity who could choose whatever appearance she desired. No sense in getting an inferiority complex over someone who could turn into a damn shower curtain after looking like a bombshell if she felt like it. But when it came to— Christ, since when did she give a shit? Must still be ale filling her head with stupid thoughts.

When Bogrum and the doctor were done having their back and forth, the topic of Evangeline rising to the surface, a scowl accompanied Fergie's pout. She didn't like demons, but she really didn't like angels. With demons, she could at least trust that they had bad intentions. Angels? Who the hell was to say? Being aligned with good morality didn't make them squeaky-clean. A demon was practically expected to play with souls, but what was to stop an angel from doing the same? Rules and regulations? As if that mattered to divinity, when they could twist them in their favor as they saw fit. But she wanted to give this one the benefit of the doubt, considering she didn't know her, not to mention her position on the ship, so she held her tongue regarding that.

Far more important was it to say, "Call me 'lovely lady' again, I'll fuckin' hurl. An' not in yer pot."

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Medical Bay​

"I would appreciate you respecting the integrity of the medical bay to the best of your ability, Fergie." Translation: it won't bode well if you purposefully hurl all over my floor. "But I will respect your physiological responses nonetheless."
She saw Ferg's expression at Evangeline's name. "Oh I hear complaints about Evangeline all the time. Unfortunately, complaints about Evangeline seem to correlate to my analyses of your recovery being wrong.......and I mean at rates of 50% or 33% of what I say. 25% if you do something like curse her name, her holiness, or any god. This is research done across like 4 years." Her tone about this frankly ominous warning was still very much friendly

"Why is she so keen on NOT curing the crew's drunkeness? Every ship I've been on used Sobriety Stims as often as possible."
"♪You live, and you learn♪" Another soothing wave. This was passive magic connected to her singing, not active spell-casting. Passive magic was indicative of a very very powerful magic-user. "Evangeline is an angel, which means she can't get drunk as it's a sin. Can drink, not drunk. Should she do so, she'll fall comatose until alcohol is cleared from her system. It's that point where you earth-realmers came up with the term 'legally drunk'"
"So she wants the crew to be the same way?"
"She wants people to reap what they sow." It almost sounded like Evangeline was either sadistic or envious of those who could get drunk. "Her words, not mine."

"By order of Captain Adonis, the only authorized way for me to instantly cure your drunkenness is a shot called A.B.A.T (Abbot in pronunciation). Angelic-Body Alcohol Tolerance, which remains in effect until the next Full Moon." Their full moon was last night. "Should you take the ABAT, I can initiate Stasis within 5 minutes and have you out of here in........" she looked at her clipboard. "........by 3 this afternoon. Obviously, I can't force such a thing on you unless it is for immediate life-saving purposes." She looked up to them. "THAT would be malpractice, and Evangeline's Provocation towards me specifically."
WayfaringWaaksian

Elaina Melora D'Umbra & Sebas Deadeye
Outside Sebas's Quarters​

The door opened and out stepped Sebas and Orabelle. "She called you out and said you were listening. I'm a worshipper of the Deepest Deep now. Great," Seb said to Elaina. No greeting, no good mornings, no anything. "Mariana will protect you like you will protect me," Orabelle said with a fairly charming smile. Her night was slumberful given that her father danced with Mariana in her dreams and they both reassured her that Sebas was there to protect her and that they would send her a guardian angel to ensure he was doing a good job at it. That came in the form of Evangeline. For now, her grief would be put on ice.

"Since I'm a follower of a goddess now, my Overwatch Angel is Evangeline. How unfortunate........." he looked her up and down. "Why are you at my room anyways?"
"Oh uh," Elaina said, suddenly nervous at feeling put on the spot even though her reason isn't a big deal. "Uh, I heard Orabelle scream and I came to check up. But I got distracted by seeing Ferg in there and.. " Oh god, Seb thought. "..I scolded her for almost drinking herself to death and then sh-"
"Stop, Elaina," Seb said, knowing he wouldn't retain all the information being spouted as he just didn't care. "I don't need a life story. Get to the point."
"Orabelle for one, but Ferg wants to talk to you, but she's not fit to leave yet," Elaina summarized, feeling offended that Sebas cut her off. She had often read that many men lack the desire to listen to this type of stuff. While she could talk to most of the women about the background to a problem, men only cared if it were directly related to the point, and even then they want you shave off as many details as possible.
"Aye......Let's head there then."

The trio moved down the hallways. Seb and Elaina both were pondering about Seb's situation, while Ora's stomach was beginning to growl for food.....and her throat. "Can I have some water?" she asked, tugging on Seb's sleeve
He passed the Everquench Canteen to her and it made Elaina think. "Orabelle, I was listening in and you were speaking, but I couldn't understand what you were saying."
Orabelle held up her Trace Relic around her neck. "I don't know why, but she..........turned it off, I think. I was wearing it the entire time." Evangeline was powerful, but why would she invalidate Ora's Trace Relic? "I stopped talking when it became clear no one would understand me. It felt.......felt like being muted." While Ora liked that Evangeline would attack Sebas should he attack her, she knew Evangeline couldn't be very nice. Ora didn't understand what Seb said in response, but Evangeline threatened to rip out Sebas's tongue

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Fergie wasn't one to give feigned threats, but she had a feeling neither was the doctor, so she pretended she did just this time. She'd already caused enough problems for herself, last thing she needed was the doctor getting on her case more than she had already.

Of course, it was only natural for her to cause problems for herself regardless. "Goddamn—" She slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Fergie..."
She hissed back some muffled protest. Well, so much for giving the angel the benefit of the doubt. She sounded like a colossal bitch, but she wouldn't dare say that aloud. Not after that frankly worrying analysis the doctor gave about altered success rates. It wasn't that she was afraid of Evangeline herself, she'd curse her self-appointed "holiness" right in her face if she had nothing to lose. Fergie just wanted to get the hell out of there, and bitching about her would likely keep her there longer, by the sound of it.

"I got a lot to say 'bout that," was announced between her fingers.
"I can tell."
"You'll be hearin' it when I'm outta here."
"I'm sure." Bogrum said this with a tired sigh. Fergie's energy during the escape mission had been inspiring, but that was when they were evading spear throws and magic shots, active attempts at their lives. Here, in the safety and calm of the ship, that confrontational spirit that made her twitch and shuffle in place was subtly exhausting to him.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Medical Bay​

Sebas walked into the Medical Bay with Ora's hand in his. "Oi, good morning Ariel," he said
"♪Good morning,♪" the head doctor sang with a smile. Sebas always thought she was absolutely stunning on multiple levels. Of all the women across every ship he's been on, the head doctor for the Basenjis was the absolute one woman that could make him leave all this behind to settle down with. If she were evil, she could very well Delilah if he were Samson. Luckily, he's been around enough and spoken to her enough to not be reduced to some shy nervous femboy. "Are you feeling well?"
His arm was stinging before Ariel sang. Her singing greeting dismantled the stinging, which he reduced down from a highly painful throb with the help of enchanted bandages he bought from her last night. "I'm fine. I need some more enchanted wrap though." He opened his jacket to show the red on his shirt. "I'll buy them as per the usual."
"Of course. Pass me the gold." Seb slapped a few into her hand and she walked off.


He looked at Ferg. She looked like absolute shit. Hair a mess, prosthetic in disarray, eyes red from drunkenness, clothes in disarray. The woman probably sweated booze because she definitely reeked of it. Luckily he was used to the smell of alcohol. "Hot damn, Ferg," Sebas said, leaning against the wall near the head of her bed. "Were you drinking this morning too?" She drank herself that hard last night? He wouldn't be surprised if she's vomited multiple times over the night and this morning. He wasn't gonna give her some speel about the risks of alcohol. Either Elaina or Doc already did it, he was sure. Plus, he was in no place to judge. Just because he didn't drank himself to the same degree last night didn't mean he was above doing it.

"I just finished a meeting with Evangeline." Sebas said to her, "I'm legitimately a worshipper of Mariana now." He flashed a pendant around his neck. The necklace was of a fish's skeleton with an eye socket extended to resemble an eye patch. The fish was wearing a crown and was being wrapped in an octopus's tentacle. In the eye socket of the skeletal fish and the suction cups of the tentacle were pure aquamarines as blue as the seas they were sailing. It was a very beautiful necklace, looking tailor-made for him. This could sell for a massive massive fortune.......if it could be removed from Sebas's person. "Turns out my oath was indeed soul binding since I swore to the mage's goddess before he died."

This was annoying, more because Evangeline was about to be a holy mosquito on his bum. "What did you want to talk about?"
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

When her peripherals caught Sebas stepping into the medbay, Orabelle in tow, a wave of unease washed over Fergie that could have been explained away by her illness, though she knew better. Quickly was it forgotten when she shifted onto her elbows and looked at them directly. Something about the sight of this gruff, emotionally distant man holding the tiny hand of a little girl draped in a shirt— his shirt, she had to presume— much too large for her brought the beginnings of a smile on her face. Biting it back curbed it little.

"First name basis, huh?" she commented once the doctor had walked out of earshot. She knew Sebas must have been working with this crew for a long time if he was comfortable addressing authority that way. Although she could have inferred that before, right now she found herself stalling in her thoughts. Sebas, naturally, kept things to the point. When he started looking her up and down, taking in the absolute mess she was, she reacted with more open disdain than last time. "Comments to yerself."

Sebas showed her the pendant, and it struck her with its familiarity. The piece of jewelry was of its own make, but the basic design she could swear she's seen before. It brought back memories that made her prefer this coming conversation than hiding in her thoughts. "That fu—" her eyes flicked over to the child— "That's... somethin'." She couldn't imagine being forced by circumstances into worship of an entity she had little to no knowledge about, and she didn't want to.

"Eh..." She looked to Orabelle again, more pointed than as an afterthought, and back to him. "Just you an' me."

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Medical Bay​

Sebas didn't comment anything to Ferg's disdainful response.......well he didn't PLAN to comment. Ferg was fiery, but Sebas wasn't the smoke-blowing type. "I bought the right to comment when the fee for carrying you here came out of my pocket." Sebas didn't carry her there directly, but news reached him when the mess hall manager and one of Ariel's doctors knocked on his door demanding recompense for Ferg vomiting on the floor and the doctor having to carry her to the medbay.

The story all connected now. The duo were drinking in celebration until Sebas left, letting Ferg drink alone since he has to tend to Ora. She drank until Elaina showed up and advised bar staff cut her off, sensing she was going into alcohol poisoning levels, presumably the mixture of drinking in celebration and drinking to numb physical pain. At some point, Ferg vomited and passed out, which led to Medical personnel coming in to carry her out. After the fact, the manager and doctor both went over to fine Sebas for Ferg vomiting on the floor, allegedly damaging a chair, and for the doctor having to carry her to the medbay.

Medical care and furniture wasn't free, nor were even the mops (or mana) needed to get rid of vomit all over the floor. SOMEONE had to cover the cost, and since Sebas felt a bit guilty at leaving Ferg to drink alone, he paid the cost without even questioning it.


Ariel came back with the bandages, and Sebas gave her a nod of gratitude. "Shall I wrap it?" she asked.
"I'll take it back to my room. I won't take up more space here than I need to." He passed her some more coins. "I need to talk to Ferg in private. Can you section off Ferg's area for me?"
"Can do. You have 5 minutes."

He looked to Orabelle and Elaina. "Elaina, watch Ora for a minute while I talk to Ferg." Elaina nodded and took Ora to the other side of the room. When that was done, the curtains surrounding Ferg's bed were closed, then around it formed a purple barrier as well as atop the rail it was attached to, effectively forming a soundproofed area.
"Alright, Ferg. Just you and me." Did he want to bring up that Evangeline was suspicious of her? Did it matter right now, while he still had no idea WHY Evangeline was asking about her? "What did you want to talk about?"
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Whether it had been Sebas's intention or not, realizing that her medical visit had been payed for out of someone else's pocket turned out to be an effective way to cut off Fergie's hostility. It seemed to cut off any response she had planned as well, as she didn't say a word. Not even a scoff or a hiss. She turned her head, wanting to hide the guilt-stricken look on her face but not doing a great job of it.

She wouldn't shift her posture or speak until they were hidden from view and earshot. As soon as he finished his question, she quickly answered, "Sorry." It wasn't what she wanted to talk about originally, but the realization of what she had done was finally hitting her, and she wouldn't let it go untouched. "About last night. I... Shit. Drinkin' meself stupid, while yer havin' a kid to look after. Some partner I am." Sighing loudly, she let herself fall back on her pillow, hands rubbing at her face. "I wasn't thinkin'. I mean- I guess I was thinkin'. Too much. 'Bout the wrong thing." Her voice dropped to a murmur when she admitted, "I tried to make meself forget."



Outside the barrier, a silence grew that Bogrum might have found companionable had any of his shipmates been in the beds by him. Right now, it was just him with the doctor, Elaina, and the child, but he wouldn't let the awkwardness become noticeable. With a closed-lip smile as to not scare the little girl with a display of his tusks, he offered her an affable wave. "So your name is Ora?"

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Medical Bay- Sectioned off area​

"Ferg, it's fine," Sebas said, "Trust me, I got PLENTY of gold to spare. I shouldn't have left you there." Sebas was honestly not expecting Ferg to drink to the degree she was. He drink in celebration, but with Orabelle exposed to what she was, it felt too much like a hollow victory for him to partake to that degree. Plus, in his case, him showing up drunk to Elaina's room to get Orabelle wouldn't have bred any trust between them, and that's IF Elaina would've let Ora anywhere near Sebas while he was drunk, which would've been irresponsible on Elaina's part. It was multiple moving parts and circumstances. "I'm not gonna guilt you for drinking yourself down or in celebration or whatever the reason." He definitely wanted to drink with her. "If I didn't have Orabelle, if we would've just gutted that mage instead of hearing him out, I would be here alongside you."


He wanted to reassure her. "Don't go beating yourself about this. Seriously, it's fine. I promised you a keg and you got your keg." Now for the real topic at hand. He was certain she wouldn't send someone to fetch him just so she could apologize to him. "Now what did you REALLY want to talk about?"

Orabelle and Elaina
Medical Bay
​

"Yes. Orabelle Alahala." Ora grew wide-eyed with recognition of Bogrum. Letting go of Elaina's hand, she walked over to him. "Wait, I've seen you before. You were a visitor in the Pockets!" While Sebas made her feel small enough as it was, Bogrum made her feel like a straight up minnow. The green-skinned man was MASSIVE.
Elaina was perplexed. "You went to the Pockets?"
"Yes. He was one of the Landwalker visitors who were there when we went for land a......aclim........clima......climin......" She was trying to say a word but obviously struggling to say it. "Getting exposed to land."
"Land Acclimatization," Elaina said
"That word."
Elaina wouldn't let her just write it off. "Ah-clih-mih-tuh-zayh-shun," Elaina said slowly.
Ora struggled, but after it was sounded out, she finally got it. "Acclimatization. We went to the Pockets for that as well as a field trip to meet some of the Landwalkers."

If Bogrum could recall it correctly, it was that day that got them herded into a single cell instead of 2 to a cell. Some of the Gill-Borne guards with a Trace Relic told them they were bringing the children around to view them, like they were animals at a zoo. When the children actually came around, 2 of the crew were mentally cracked by their time imprisoned. They got aggressive. Banging on the doors, growling, threatening to kill the kids. While the children couldn't understand what they were saying, their aggressiveness didn't need interpretation. Also, the guards with the trace relics did understand.

After the children were herded out, those 2 crewmates were killed on the spot and the rest were all put in a single cell. Bogrum was one of the ones trying to keep a cracked crewmate in check, pleading at one point to be the one to beat his ass for it. The guards didn't go for it

Orabelle had absolutely no idea what was happening at the time. None of the children did. They were given the sparkly-eyed, wonder-inspiring version of the story. They weren't told these people were imprisoned or bled for the feeding satisfaction of Megalo and the species that would eat them should they disobey Megalo in their future. She still didn't know what was happening, and she was too awestruck by Bogrum to connect the dots as to why he was injured and on this ship. At least SOME of her innocence was still intact.

Orabelle, in her awestricken wonder, grabbed his arms and started jumping to get a good look, eagerly demanding to see his teeth. "You look like the big buff viperfish. I heard the huge green landwalkers have big teeth like the viperfish and the bigger they are, the more respect they get." While she was on the arm of his injured shoulder, Bogrum could feel immediately that this child was an absolute feather-weight. Bogrum had picked up empty barrels that felt heavier than Orabelle. She couldn't even budge his arm

While Elaina was incredibly disturbed by Ora's story, which made it seem like Megalo was seeking to train Piscean children into land-invading warriors, she couldn't help but be amused at this. From what she read last night, Piscean people were incredibly curious, whether it be Gill-Borne, Siren, or Triton

WayfaringWaaksian