Pirates of the Sorcerean

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(ooc: Freeform people. Feel free to jump in.)


It was a beautiful day as the rain poured down on the city of Drentan, washing away a small part of the stench that pervaded the city. The shacks which lined the waterfront got a much needed cleaning, something which was otherwise never done in the pirate shanty town.

By the docks there was a tavern, which everyone simply called The Tavern after the gritty sign that may possibly once have proclaimed its name was shattered over someone's head in the middle of a particularly active brawl. This was the meeting place of most types of scum, which was the exact reason that a pirate known (to the very few who know him) as Peyweth Pegleg was squelching up to its muchly dented and paintless doors.

His name had very little to do with himself, most obviously in the way that both of his legs were fully functional. However the alliteration was there in the faint hope that one day someone would write poetry about the terror of Captain Peyweth Pegleg, so Peyweth was just trying to make his job easier.

Peyweth pushed through the door and stood in the doorway for a few seconds, taking in the sights and scents of the most popular dive in town (not saying much as the only other dive in town is now a burnt out wreck). He trudged over to an empty table, sat down and waited for the man who was supposed to be helping him out. As he waited he wrung some of the water out of his natural and entirely disgusting dreadlocks and shouted for an ale over the noise of the tavern, which was largely ignored by the serving wenches.

Eventually he was served, and managed to dribble half the drink down his beard and mangy clothes before he was finished. Calling for another one he sat back and waited for his contact, his hand resting on the hilt of his cutlass. In such a place as this, one could never be too careful

 

The door banged open and lightning lit the sky to reveal the silhouette in doorway, as a crack of thunder rolled over the rooftop. Tanya stepped inside and closed the door behind her, letting her eyes travel across the room, fixating on the "good" captain. Him. She had only rumors of this man, but the sea would be the home of the any true pirate, as she would like to try.
Gracefully walking over to him, some of the people seemed to find her presence disturbing, even though she had a ponytail and the figure of a lady, the similarities stopped there. Wearing a suit that seemed to belong to a wanderer, she had a rapier at her side as well.

She walked straight up to the man know was Captain Pegleg, even though she would have expected him to have a pegleg, he did fit the description. Her blue-grey eyes were hard as steel as she stopped only a couple feet from him, upped her chin, "You're the Captain Peyweth, are you not?"
She seemed alert and poised to flight, should anything fall out of place. After all, he was a pirate.

 

Captain Peyweth's jaw dropped as he saw who he assumed was his contact. Or failing that, someone may have actually heard of him. He was really quite excited at that prospect, as his fame on The Sorcerean was ... limited at best.
The fact that this was a woman talking to him however, well, that was near unthinkable. But then, the world was full of oddities, this one was quite within his limits of acceptability.

The pirate cleared his throat and said in a rough voice, "Aye, that be me. Be you the one I'm supposed t' be meetin'?"

(ooc: The Sorcerean is the name of the ocean, not of any ship)

 

Tanya nearly rolled her eyes, another one!? one should think they've never seen a woman before! She looked over him thinking what a slob.. as she noticed the spilled ale. The pirate of the tale was indeed different from the pirate of the flesh, and she eased a bit.

She answered him in a cold voice, being obviously tired of the usual routine with sailors, "Maybe.. if you could stop goggling like that at me, I think we can figure something out. I've been sent to meet you, indeed."
Pulling forth an empty chair, she sat down, leaned back and crossed her legs as she pondered why on earth she had been sent to this pirate, he didn't even have a pegleg! She drummed her fingers on the table for a second.
"So what's your business?" she asked in a more polite voice, having gotten control of herself.

 

Peyweth's mouth abruptly snapped together and he tried to look business like, running his fingers through his disgusting hair in an attempt to make it look decent. As he soon discovered trying to smooth out dreadlocks achieves nothing but a greasy hand, which wasn't exactly useful in this situation.
"Weeeeeell," he stretched out the word. "I've bin told that meetin' you was the first step to gittin' meself a crew. I've found somethin' out that's very interestin' t' the right kinda people. Am I lookin' in the right place?"

 

Tanya let a wry smile cross her lips, and nodded. "I see we are on the same wave after all.. for profits, I know a good crew who'll do a bangup job. I suppose there'll be a share of whatever this interesting things might be? Unless of course you can pay up front." She raises an eyebrow questioningly, then leans a bit closer, whispering with genuine curiousity, "Just what is you have found?"

 

"Well," he said, leaning close enough for her to smell the strong stench of alchohol on his breath. "News has come t' me ears of something not all should be knowing of. There be a place on The Sorcerean where the entire Royal Navy is sailing to in a week, heavily armed, rumours of gold, a hidden treasure unearthed in the bottom of the libraries of Cathius. They know where the treasure is, they say, of Captain Ruthbarb, greatest of the pirates of The Sorcerean. You, of course, whill get a share, but only if we beat the navy there and get the gold. I know where t' look you see..." he winked and sat back in his chair, seemingly enjoying himself immensly.

 

"You're out of your mind!" Tanya hissed, she could not believe what the captain had just said. The entire royal navy, it wasn't just the usual bunch of worthless land lubbers. It was the elite of the sea, except for perhaps the hardened pirates who had seawater in their veins and legends wrapped around their little fingers. She let out a deep sigh, then looked thoughtful as if playing some strategic game in her mind. Then, "Alright.." she smiled.
"You have yourself a race, captain.. but I have no qualms about getting a head start if you get my meaning. Are there any certain perils we should be aware of? If we need to sail fast, we should only concern getting the most needed with us."

She leaned back, and got a dreamy look in her else hard eyes, as she whispered in awe for herself, "The hoard of Ruthbarb.."

 

"Oh good," he said as though rather surprised that she had accepted the proposal. "Well in that case we're gonna need a few ... items so to speak. Like a ship for instance!"

 

(Why do I have a feeling Johnny Depp's going to pop in here any time?)

 

"Yarr mateys!" hollered a voice from behind them. If they had looked round, they would have noticed that no-one was there. Had they looked down, they would have noticed an incredibly scrawny man, probably one who had never heard of 'food', sitting on his detached pegleg.

"I be yon fearsum piratey Weasel! Yarr!" Instantly you ge the impression that this man has been watching one Pirate Themed play too many. His accent is strained, but he is obviously trying very hard to pull it off.

"I be hearin' ye want some crew, aye? I be Weasel, the fearsomsest pirate of thee Sea!" he exclaims, now standing up (reaching approximately to Peyweth's shoulder) waving his pegleg around like a sword, while hobbling around on his one short leg. "I do what ye want, in exchange fer whores an' vodka! I be crafty bugger with manyathing arr! Yarrrrr!!"

He leans forward (probably up actually) and whispers; "I also have yon boat ye be lookin' for!"

 

Peyweth stares at the pathetically small pirate with barely concealed disgust, contempt, irritation, and a small amount of what-the-hell thrown in for good measure.
Several times he tries to butt into the shorter pirates speech and finds himself overridden by his ear grating accent. As Weasel leans up towards him, he has a sudden urge to smash the creature across the room ... and then he hears the mention of a boat.
Suddenly the little guy becomes much easier to bear.
"Why, a boat. Certainly we could use your help. Aye, a boat is welcome, especially since my last one kinda ... well, never mind that. Are y' ready for an adventure on the high seas my short friend?"

 

"A boat, yarr! 'Tis a finer vessel than ye have ever beheld yer eyes upon!" he motions with his arms stretched wide. "May need a bit o' flabberdeckin' an wahterscoopin', but she'll sail fast I tells ye!"

"Adventure? I was maaaaade for adventure! Yarr!" I be ye fearsomsest pirate o' thee Sea!" he grins widely.

"Will I be getting paid for this, or do I have to work my sho-.. ever so sweaty, manly, backside for some decent gold to go wenchi-.. buy this lady a gift , eh?" he adds, keeping the ever-so-convincing grin on his face. He gives the lady across the table a thumbs up, with a sly (or attempted sly) wink following.

[edit: I saw Pirates of the Carribbean today]

 

Tanya gives him a look of disbelief, how could THAT be a pirate!? But if he had a boat though.. "Let's just keep our shares to ourselves for the moment.." she answered the man with a cold voice, seeming almost insulted.

"I know a decent crew, Captain, a pair of cannoneers, a cook, a pair of plank rubbers, a few packrats and I know how to steer a boat, if needed be. Else I'm a fine duelist.." she pats her rapier with a crooked grin, "..and I'm good with the sails as well."

Turning to face weasel, a name she found maybe did have more to it than this mans size, she spoke constraining herself not to insult the man.
"How big is your boat.. er.. Weasel was it?"

What a circus this is going to be.. oh well, Ruthbarb's treasure is legendary, should be plenty for everyone

A thought suddenly plunges into her mind, and she looks at Captain Peyweth once more, "I was just wondering, how is it you're without a crew and ship?"

[ October 02, 2003, 08:03: Message edited by: Lokken ]

 

The Captain looked rather abashed at this question, a blush spread over his face and caused his ears, which could just be seen poking out of his matted hair, to go bright red.
"Well, urm," he stammered. "It goes something like this - We were off at sea looking fer plunder an' easy pickings, except that we overstayed our visit out there an' were runnin' low on food, So we pulled into this port which we'd never 'eard of before. Anyway, it just so happened that it was the home of the Royal Navy when they came out dis way. An' I suppose you an figure out the rest urself."

 

Tanya lets out a mirthful laugh and shakes her head in disbelief, This captain had to be out of his mind.. however high spirit he had indeed.

"Well how by the stormy seas did you escape?" she asked surprised, "How long ago was this?"

 

"It was about ... a month ago now methinks. It just so happened that we were captured by someone who's family we butchered whilst on a raid.
Now he was convinced that hangin' was too good for us, so he decided to throw us over a cliff with sharp rocks at the bottom. Woulda been a good idea too, except that the stupid git only brought two guards along. We threw them over the cliff and ran like the Hounds of Hell were chasin' us.

It was only when we got away from the cliff that we noticed the fifty od other guards that 'e had with 'im, they were just hangin' a bit further back. Leapin' off a cliff looked almost like a good idea when we saw dem, an' me stupid crew thought so to.

Well, I ran up to the cliff an' saw me crew at the bottom, not such a good sight, an' decided that climbin' down was a much better idea. There was a nice little cave about halfway down where I lived fer a week eatin' ... well, you don't need t' know.

Then I was able t' hitch a ride on some ship, dropped me off here yesterday, no idea where 'here' is, but anyhow. That's pretty much all there is too it."

 

Tanya smirks and nods in approvement, "Seems like your crew was even more insane than you are.. However, since you're not the quitter, I'm sure you'll be a good captain. Is this harbor where you learned of the treasure as well?"

She looks at Weasel, trying to figure out if he really has a boat or just trying to show off.
"You really had a boat? Seems like we should rally the crew then, I take we need some preparations."

Her steel eyes leveling with Peyweth, "I hope you have at least some idea of what we'll encounter.. I don't want to risk the lives of the crew needlessly.."

 

"Ar, well, there are all these rumours about the hoard of Ruthbarb, but there be no point in listening to ghost stories. The only real danger be the Royal Navy, an' if we beat 'em, there is no danger! An' yes, I heard the Capt'n of Pirate Breaker talkin' about it, just before 'e arrested us in fact, Long story behin' that."

 

“I know a little bit about the Royal Navy.” A man said spinning round in his seat. “Former Marine Jon Dante, at your service” this with a nod of the head and a raised tankard. “You gentlemen may wonder why such a man is sitting in this place. The answer is, getting pissed.” He stood, and wandered over. As he did this, they noticed the sabre and hand-axe hanging at his sides.

His hair was dark, as was the scruffy beard. His clothes were dirty and worn, but the man was very tall, and very strong, and very suited to this current establishment. “If there’s gold to be had (and a bit of a fight with my former brothers) I should very much like to join in.”