RP:A luxury cruise to Cenril with a spot of fishing

Background

This is part of the A Not So Jolly Hollow Holiday Vacation story arc.

Having left the Broken Barrel Andrei, Mahri, and Cornelius meet up at the Rynvale docks.

There they board the Wave Cleaver, Cornelius' Ship, and subsequently depart for Cenril.

Andrei enjoys a spot of Big Game Fishing along the way

The Rynvale Docks

Cornelius smiles and says "Well, let's get ourselves to Cenril. Allow me to introduce my lover."

She sits placidly at berth, The Wave Cleaver does. The clipper is all sleek lines and smooth oak, her wide bow daintily raked forward to cut through the waves like a cutlass through flesh. An elegant lady, her three masts are garbed with sails of a blue-dyed linen. Still, like so many women of Rynvale, this lady isn't one for simply sitting pretty. The Wave Cleaver is rigged for ease of sailing in the fashion of a barque: while the fore- and main-mast are square rigged, the mizzen-mast has been converted to fore-and aft, and there are new staysails and flying jibs in place. She's not a slow or patient ship, and unlike most clippers, this lady refuses to go half-way around the world to avoid a headwind. A closer look, and you can tell she means business, this darling does: a slap in the face from the bow or stern traverse-mounted 68-pounder carronades would be enough to cool the ardour of any would-be suitor, and if that doesn't persuade, then a swift kick in the broadside from the 32-pounders lining her gunports should send any but the most persistent of cads running or begging for mercy. There is no fancy figurehead to gaudily detract from this lady's charm, and when unfurled her flag and foremast topsail show a new design: the spread-winged raven of Penzance holding a cutlass in each claw.

At the top of the gangplank stands Glaive, former captain and now first mate. Glaive is a good 7 feet in height, and about double the size of Cornelius in width. Years spent under the sun on deck have browned him almost to onyx, and his broad musculature speaks of great strength. His head is shaven, but he maintains a fierce square-cut beard. "She's ready for you Cap'n. I take it ye found Higgs."

Cornelius strolls up the gangplank casually "Aye, Glaive. He'll not forget the riggings again any time soon methinks. Come aboard, you lot. We'll need to move fast to catch a good wind"

Mahri stares at the ship in awe. Which she soon shakes herself from. "Damn. I can't compete with her can I, Cap'n?" The grin she sends Cornelius' way is half teasing before she walks forward to get a closer look. Granted, she'll get all the looking she wants once aboard. Of course..she'd have much more fun given the superstitious lot that crews for Penzance. "Maybe," she ponders, "I should just take the ferry. Save you a mutiny."

Cornelius laughs "Higgs'll put up or shut up. I'll brook no arguments. Rest of the crew is a bit more level-headed"

Andrei bounds up the gang plank with a ruck sack slung over a broad shoulder. The man took a look around at the impressive ship and the going on's with a studying eye even as he took up a spot out of the way. It looked well run and even though he knew the workings of the ship from nearly twelve years of experiance, Andrei also knew enough not to jump in. Tt was another mans ship and knew many Captains concitered them like their favorate child or a close lover. It was not something to be messed with unless invited.

Mahri smirks at Cornelius and marches up the plank. The look she gives the staring crew dares them to even try..anything. She might be petite but they would learn soon enough she can hold her own against any of them. Even Glaive. "Lets go then."

Cornelius nods to Glaive "Alright, Mate, Draw in the plank. We're outward bound for Cenril, old salt." The ship becomes a flurry of activity, and Cornelius escorts his guests to his cabin so as to let the crew get on with it without interference.

Andrei silently follows Cornelius at the beckon to a cabin.

Mahri follows, at her own pace. She's more interested in watching the crew work out of professional curiosity. Eventually she'll just stop right outside the cabin. It's amazing how smoothly the crew works to get underway and Mahri is suitably impressed. Not, mind, that she'll show it before she shrugs and disappears into the cabin with bawdy comments following behind. It's to be expected after all. She was a woman and there were two men on the otherside of that door.

For all Cornelius' dedication to fine clothing, his cabin is a thing of understated elegence. He gestures to a couple of plain chairs, currently lashed in place against the wall, tied to attachments designed to keep his cabin from becoming an obsticle course in storms. Nautical charts line one wall, along with instruments of navigation. Cornelius takes seat at his desk, and opens the papers box to start skimming through the quartermaster's reports "Well, Mahri M'dear. I'll let you do the talking. Do explain what we shall be doing in Cenril, and then jolly cold Frostmaw"

Mahri leans against a wall, arms folded while she waits for Muscles--she never did catch is proper name or if she did, didn't remember it--to get comfortable. Which would be a feat considering the man's bulk.

Andrei takes up a spot leaning against a wall with arms crossed. The man ignored the seat altogether and dark brown eyes shift from the man to the woman. It would seem the lass had a bigger hand in this than he had first thought, but keep his thoughts off his face. Instead he would content himself with listening. He was on their coin now, not his own.

Mahri almost smirks at the way she and Andrei seemed to have chosen the same pose but she'll begin talking anyway, "Once in Cenril we'll need transportation. If we can't buy or rent a wagon or horses," here she slides a glance at Andrei, "One really big horse..we'll steal them and run full out far as we can to Frostmaw. Once there we're going to go lookin' for a few people. Namely my sister, her mate and their son. They've been gone without a word for too long. Makes me worried an' I don't like bein' worried. I also wanna scope out the bank in Cenril and see if they increased security from the last time I was there." Looking from one to the other, the wolf expected an object or two. Maybe three, and was ready for them.

Cornelius is listening, even as he frowns at the cost of tar in Rynvale for the caulking. Perhaps a new supplier should be scouted out. Cordy seemed to have a knack for finding amenable traders, maybe he'd give the lad a chance to prove himself. Quartermaster could use the assistance - man coughed up blood at least once a month. That Cordy could even read was a minor miracle in and of itself. He murmurs in response to the first statement "Expect horses to make it all the way to Frostmaw without dying on us, dear squid? Optimistic, wot"

Andrei rubs at his goatee thinking over the lasses explanation on the job. It wasn't too hard to figure out where he fit in. Muscles, just like the woman was to call him, would seem to be his job. It fit as well as any. Now this scooping out a bank thing was interesting too, but stored away for later pondering. The comment about the horse thing caused the man to chuckle a little before falling silent again. Then he spoke to Cornelius, "I can help with that da. You got spare rope and iron hook?" Andrei would just need a little fishing time off the side of the ship to get the main ingredient.

Mahri nodded at the first objection and was almost disappointed Muscles didn't chime in as well. "I don't expect them to, no. But they will get us closer faster. Of course, that'll happen after we check out the bank. It'll be easier to do that first if we don't have to be worried about being looked for." Which she had no plans for that to happen either. Plans, however, often could and did go awry.

Cornelius frowns at one entry on the report. Lemon essence? What, did the Quartermaster take him for a fool? The bastard never cooked with lemons, and he certainly didn't need a couple of gallons of lemon mixed with alchohol. He is distracted by Andrei's question "Aye, Andrei. We've plenty of grapples, and plenty of spare rope. You've a plan?" Cornelius had noted the ease of habit with which Andrei had bounded up the gangplank and through the gangway.

Cornelius pinches at the area between his eyes as he contemplates the best way to handle the quartermaster without killing the needed man. "Mahri, old salt, Have you planned for the eventuality that Jolly-Girl and hers may not want to see us? I've not fought in snow for a very long time."

Mahri just grins. "Do you think it matters to me? The woman's my sister and I haven't heard from her since I was last up there and I'm damned worried." So worried she said so, which really isn't like the wolf to do.

Andrei nods in answer to Cornelius. "Da. Ruslva secret. Makes horse last much longer." And so it did. It was a must in his homeland since horses where scarce, but much valued for war. He did spare a moment on how hard the trip was likely to be and wondered how the lass would take it. She seemed hardy enough from what he could tell, but then again it wasn't just her. There was the unborn child to look after. It's gone though as quick as it came, not being of his concern.

Cornelius mulls over the fact that the quartermaster did actually cook better than the actual ship's cook. It would be such an elegant solution: demote the quartermaster to cook, put the cook out on deck where he wouldn't poison anyone else. Still, ship's articles required a more serious breach to demote the man, and besides, Cordy wasn't ready to take his place. Details, bloody details. The democracy of the privateering life. He nods to Andrei "You have my permission to proceed. Once we are out of port and have the freedom of the ocean, I'll let Glaive know. He'll show you to the stores" Glaive, Cornelius figures, was large enough a man to assist with anything Andrei needed. He turns to Mahri "So, what route are we going to take out of Cenril? How are we reaching Frostmaw?"

Andrei just nods again and stays quiet. Listening, thinking. The man was jonesing for a cigar, but decided to wait until out on deck.

Mahri 's jaw clenches when Cornelius continues to question her. She hadn't, in all honesty, thought that far ahead. "Whatever route is quick and not likely to be traced. If we have to steal horses anyway." She halted then, tipping her head while Cornelius and Andrei hold a completely seperate, it seems, conversation.

Andrei sees a tension, out of the corner of his eye, enter the woman not that far from him. Her answer caused the man to finger at one of the many scars on his arm. The memory of how it was gotten fleeting like a ghost before his eyes to remind him. Andrei grunts a little, hoping that if these people didn't at least know the area personally then that they had a damn good map.

Cornelius puts the Quartermaster's report back in the papers' box, a wax-lined receptacle with a wire rack at the bottom designed to keep important documents from flying around the cabin. Order seemed all important in this room. Cornelius wrestles with his gorget for a moment, sliding a rivet so the front of the gorget loosens, allowing him access to the leather straps. He places the neck protection on the table and stands, removing his cuirass with ease, a white shirt of strong cotton underneath. He pauses a moment at Mahri's response. As he places his armour in the strongbox designed for the purpose he states "I've not been to Frostmaw via the land-route, old bean. You'll need to educate me, and preferably now where there is ease of forward-planning. I'd not sail blindly into Frostmaw, and I'll jolly well not ride there like a tourist sans map, stopping off at every frost giant's den to create 'happy memories'"

Mahri lets out a sigh of exasperation. If she had to ..well, really, she did. "Alright. In the event we are able to buy a wagon and horses, we'll go through Cenril and Kelay and through the mountains using the roads. We won't have to worry about anyone following us or chasing us. This is the optimal plan. If we can't and we need to 'borrow' mounts then it's going to be a more roundabout way. Through Sage and the mountains. You won't have to worry about stopping at every giant den since I can track rather well," the last is with a pointed raising of a brow. Cornelius had experience with her ability to track and if he forgot she was more than happy to give another demonstration. "If you have a better idea, I'm all ears."

Cornelius chuckles "Well, so long as there is a plan. Will the passes be wide enough for horses -and- wagon?"

Andrei just shrugs for an answer. Seemed like a decent enough plan. The man didn't know the lands so would just go alone with what was decided until he had something worth sharing. And here it was. "Why wagon?" Andrei wondered why pack horses weren't being thought of. They could make the extra packs with their supplies made to look like they held merchant fair if cover was what they would need.

Mahri nods at the Captain, "They should be. There are places to stop when we need to rest that are wide enough." Andrei had actually asked a rather intelligent question, "Because we made to haul more supplies than Simon parted with. It's damned cold up there."

Cornelius adds "Also, wagons don't need feeding"

Andrei chuckles at Cornelius' remark then let it be, satisfied with the answer. Then a yowl can be heard and a scratching at the door. Andrei casts it an evil glare before sighing with a curse and walking over to it with resigned steps. There had been a little hope from the big man that the feline had been left ashore. A dark streak darts in when he opens it for a second then closes again. Nope, no such luck. Andrei swore that cat knew too much for it's own good. Returning to his place leaned up against a wall, a hand is waved a little towards the lynx. It just sat in the middle of the group licking a paw like it had a place to be there. "Frisket."

Cornelius raises an eyebrow "It can feed on rats. But only ones that don't talk. I mention this only for the cat's safety" He tilts his head as the Bosun's whistle can be heard "Ah, the Port Authority's signal has been received. We are clear to leave the port. About bloody time."

On the sea between Rynvale and Cenril

The crew of the Wave Cleaver clamber about the ship, making minor repairs, caulking where needed, adjusting the riggings, and otherwise making themselves useful. Cornelius is up by the bowsprit, engaging in his morning exercises: a flowing dance of blade and dagger, punctuated by the occasional feat of acrobatics: a flip here, a handstand and cartwheel there. The crew have become used to this morning entertainment, and so don't pay it much attention unless they are taking a break. They remember his battle with Glaive on the Rynvale docks well enough.

Andrei takes his leave then and in a few strides of long legs reaches down and grabs the lynx by the back of the neck. It hissed, spit and tried to claw and bite it's way free. Andrei just gave it a little shake on his way out before dropping it in the narrow passage way of the ship. Frisket gave its Man an indignant look and hiss before trotting off. Andrei didn't spare the feline any more thought since it could look after itself and if not, well at least it wouldn't be following hither and yonder anymore. Now the man sets out to find out where Glave is. The man who was even taller than Andrei was found easily enough and they headed off to get the things he had asked for.

Mahri is on the opposite end of the ship from Cornelius, staring at what was being left behind from the railing of the stern. The wind wasn't so bad, but it did play havoc on the braid she habitually twisted her hair into. Tortured it really since most of the time it seemed the ebony locks had a mind of their own. Only after she was sure that no dark silhouettes of ships were following, granted the Watch was competent enough, she was just paranoid.

Glaive escorts Andrei to the storerooms, his bulky form moving with practised ease through the ship. "Cap'n said yer fishin'. Would need thick rope and grapple. What ya fishin for - the leviathan?"

Andrei looks about the store room and sees a fishing net. Well that would certainly help out. The voice of the other man, Glaive, breaks through his thoughts. "Da and that net too." Then with a serious face, Andrei answers, "Net. Vrznak. Kraken killer."

Glaive grunts and lets the large man pick out what he needs "Huh. Let me know when to bring out the harpoons. I'll not be having such things damage the Wave Cleaver with their thrashing." He then leaves Andrei to his own devices as he returns abovedeck

Andrei spent the rest of the day casting a fishing net to sea and hauling it in. Once brought on deck the man would take a few minutes to regain himself and let his burning muscles rest after the intensive strain. Then he would go through the catch, sometimes setting a certain sea dweller in a bucket off to the side and other times sent the fish like tuna and carp down to the cook where they could be used instead of the stores being plundered. Most though where tossed back over before the scene repeated itself. Darkness was coming on when finely Andrei cleaned out the fishing net and rolled it up for storage again. A dagger is pulled from the mans sash belt and the three buckets full of various sea fair is cut up and tossed back in. Basically Andrei was about to chum for his intended target, but the damned things where picky on what attracted them. Dusk was painting the clear sky soft shades of pink, purple and dark blues by the time Andrei woke up from his nap on deck. The man would need his strength for what was to come. The buckets of now slightly rotted fish where gathered up and one by one each dumped their wet chunks over the side of a railing. Next all but his loose pants and his dagger are shucked off to the side before the thick rope is taken up and one end is tied about the waist. Andrei for the first time gives the sea a wary look before a pale iridescent glow catches his eye. Vrznak. Just before the last of the light fades away a shadow a fourth the length of the ship is seen. Andrei grins and laughs, saying to no one in particular, "Good, baby." The other end of the rope is tied off to the mast quickly before the man takes a charging leap over the railing. The dagger held by teeth. Salty water greets with a stinging splash even as Andrei grabs and holds onto one of then tendrils along its back.

Mahri wandered from one deck to another. Not because she didn't by now know the Cleaver inside and out. She was bloody restless and needed to be moving. The smell of fish and blood has a lip twitch before she presses them together tightly.

Cornelius notices Mahri pass by at one point in her wanderings. He pauses his activity and grabs a cloth. He towels off the sweat from his face as he glances at Mahri "Look a bit bored, old bean?"

Mahri glances at Cornelius when he speaks. "Not bored, Cap'n. Not exactly. Too much energy an' nothin' useful to do." She glances at the masts and the well cared for rigging. "No' a damn thing an' I feel like hittin' someone or somethin'."

Cornelius nods, his heavily scarred body starting to develop a noticeable tan compared to when he first fought Glaive. "Understandable, old salt. Glaive's crew is tightly-knit. If I didn't bring an element of business sense to the entire operation, I rather think the crew would have mutinied by now, my trouncing of Glaive notwithstanding. It's all very mutually beneficial, but it gives one little to do physically. For me, I enjoy the old ocean. All water, not a bally stone in sight. Perfect vacation, if you discount all the paperwork involved. My daily exercises are a pleasant break from the horrors of accounting."

Mahri might have said something in return if it weren't for the fact Andrei is now on the rail and a rope is tied to a mast. "Cap'n..I don' like the looks o' this. What's that insane man up to?" She doesn't wait for an answer, instead going to investigate on her own.

Cornelius raises an eyebrow "Fishing, apparently" He says to her as she leaves to investigate

Mahri says over her shoulder, "With himself as bait?"

Cornelius grins "Let's see if the bait gets the fish, shall we?"

Cornelius grabs a shirt and wanders in Mahri's wake. Glaive, in the meanwhile, alerted to the activity, is holding a large harpoon, and the moment the man is overboard he ties off the cord at the end of the harpoon to the same mast. He doesn't know the stranger, or what he's doing, but he will be ready if the ship is endangered by his antics

Mahri snorts. At least something was happening. "Right." Backing off from the railing, Mahri will wait and watch. Intently.

Mahri said to Cornelius, "Oh, don't put on a shirt for my benefit. 'Sides, was enjoyin' the view."

Cornelius shrugs with a smile, and wraps the shirt around a belaying pin, wiry muscles causing scar material to ripple over his shoulders and chest as he does so.

Cornelius chuckles "A gentleman does hate to disappoint a lady"

Mahri grins at Cornelius and winks his way before giving her attention to the railing. She will say however, "I doubt you ever disappoint even if there isn't a lady around."

Andrei feels the blood rush through his veins like a junky getting their fix, but a tickling had already began in his lungs why the creature, vaguely resembling a shark, thrashed and tried to turn about on what was clinging to it. It gave the man warning that he only had about a minute before he needed to return to the surface for air. Quick as was able with one hand, the swollen wet knot at his waist is undone and taken in hand. Almost lost it there too as Vrznak did a spinning roll that made Andri loose all sense of up and done. Still focused, the man takes the hook out of the belt of his pants and ties it up quick when the sea beast takes a moments pause. Then as its cartilage muscle swells underneath for a dive, the hook is set deep right at the base of the tendril he held on too for dear life. Andrei kicks off against it and could tell he was raising to the surface since he wasn't fighting his bodies buoyancy. Long red hair loose from its tie fans out in the water around his shoulders as gasping breathes are took then sudden coughing as a moderate swell hits him in the face. A hand reaches out and grabs the now taunt rope as Vrznak makes to dive. The ship groans and tilts a little but since this is only a baby it is unable to capsize the ship. Lungs no longer burning with need, the man takes a deep breath and dives back under.

Glaive curses as the ship groans, and makes his way to the gunwales to investigate

Glaive turns to the Captain "If he damages this ship, I'll have his head, and you and I'll be having words again." Cornelius smiles coldy up at Glaive "Bring your oversized falchion next time, dear boy."

Andrei uses the rope as a guide since there was only the faint glow of light coming from the beast. What caused it was bulbous orb at the end of a long stick like protrusion attached between it's beady dark eyes. Now Andrei wasn't a man who felt fear in degrees like most people, it was one of the traits that man his a good warrior, but the man knew that serrated triangle teeth lay not far below and that did cause a bit of fear to enter his body. To bad it was that orb he needed. Bucking up Andrei clasps tendrils hand over hand until a sudden twist shakes him loose. A hand makes a grab for the dagger held in mouth only to find it gone. s***! When did that happen? No time to dwell on it since a gaping mouth with rows of teeth where coming at him. Andrei spins his arms until his feet face Vrznak. They meet with a force that would have snapped his legs if not under water even as a foot nicks a tooth, sending a bloody ribbon into the waters, and the other plants for a second just above the dagger like teeth. Then the man is sent into a tumble in the current of the attack to bump against the head. Grasping blindly, Andrei's hand fastens around that stick like protrusion and then it snaps off the sea beast. Not giving any more thought save to get his ass back up on the ship again whole the man rapidly kicks the water and heads up. Vrznak was thrashing about in pain as a thick dark blood oozes from its wound to be sweep away with the unseen motion of the sea. Andrei broke the waters surface and made haste to swim over to the rope while gasping heavy and choking when salt water went down throat unexpected. The prize is tucked securely in the waist of his pants. Pulling up the last of his reserves and hardening of his will, Andrei starts to climb up the rope when suddenly it snaps under the strain of the sea beasts turmoil. There was a loud thud and grunt of pain is heard from the side of the ship when the man's body crashed into it. Though sliding down a few feet, Andrei still clung on. "Govno!" He curses in his native tongue before calling up the the sailors. "Pull me up!" Andrei didn't want to test his luck any more by being a worm out on a line above the water for Vrznak to snatch up.

Glaive drops his harpoon with a last glare at Cornelius, before setting those huge arms and back into action, hauling on the line.

Mahri glances over at Cornelius then towards Glaive an incredulous look upon her seemingly delicate features before disgust mingled with worried anger twists her mouth up in a sneer. "Damn stupid bloody insane man," the lycan spits out between clenched teeth. She's half a mind to meet Andrei with a fist to the face the second his head pops up over the rail. Lucky for them both, Mahri manages to restrain the impulse and simply fold her arms to wait and see just how badly beat up Muscles is going to be. Then she'll decide whether or not to add to his injuries.

Andrei make his way up the side of the ship with Glaives help before toppling over. The man just laid there on his back, motionless save the heaving of his chest, for a long time. God he hadn't done that in a long time. Eventually Andrei was able to crack open his eyes and grained under his soaked goatee. "Got it." Was mumbled out just before he passed out. A trickle of blood swirls and mixes with the puddle of water underneath the man and a tooth can be seen lodged a little into the side of his foot. A memento? Hell yes!

Cornelius nudges the unconscious man with his foot "This had better have been worth it." He shrugs and says to Glaive "Get him to a bunk. He looks sturdy enough to recover naturally. Maybe get ol' sawbones to look at that foot, clean it and give it a couple of stitches." He looks as Mahri, with a slight twinkle to his eyes at her outburst "Well, M'dear, you do pick the company of reckless men. It's to be expected I suppose." He grins, collects his shirt, and calls out to some sailors "Get below decks, and make sure we've sprung no leaks. I want the mast looked at. I'll be most irate if it has suffered from this little 'fishing trip'"

Mahri turns a narrow-eyed look Conrelius' way. She could have, once upon a time, healed up that foot wound. Not so anymore so she won't even offer. Let the man take his chances with a ship's doctor. "I happen to like your company, Captain," she rejoins smoothly while Glaive heave-ho's the giant man's body up and down below to the bunks. Watching the progression, Mahri mentally calculates how long it'll take for the man to heal and unless he was able to do so quickly, they were out a hand for a while. "Well. what the hell now?"

Cornelius smiles as Andrei is taken to his bunk "We continue to Cenril. It should be smooth sailing here on out."

Andrei wakes shortly after dawn with sluggish thoughts gained by great weariness. At first the man wasn't sure what had happened, then it all crashed down on him. A genuine smile broke over his face and he let loose bellowing laughter. Taking on a Vrznak and succeeding single handed, even a pup like that one, was a great honour in Ruslva sailors. The glowing protrusion could make a piss pour man as wealthy as a lord. It held other properties than just the bit for horses. Depending on how much his bosses where ticked off, he might tell them some about it. Andrei wiggles his toes to make sure they where all there and was was happy to notice them all accounted for, plus it only hurt as a dull throb. the man would check it more thoroughly later. Something catches his eye. Reaching over and picking it up, Andrei notices it's a tooth from Vrznak. His morning had just gotten better if that was possible.