RP:Transporting The Cargo - Part I

Background

This is part of the Recruiting For Redhale story arc.

Joliette Thorne of the Eldritch Cabal, tasked with obtain important cargo for the necromancer Redhale, has hired Svilfon to assist with the main delivery.

She directs him first to find the 'Dandy', Cornelius. A man whose skills, which she knew of old, would be required - even if that meant putting up with the insufferable buffoon of a man for an extended period of time.

The Wizard finds the Dandy on the docks in Cenril

Svilfon had wandered up to Cornelius with a smile on his face. "Ah, good sir, I have some work for us for the lady Jolie. She requested our presence in a certain castle... Allow me." The wizard speaks a few words while making various arcane motions with his staff. A bright flash of fire surrounds the two men, before they wink out of existence. The sensation is both confusing and a little nauseating, but within seconds they are deposited in Venturil.

Venturil - Approaching the Castle

Cornelius was strolling along, his usual elegant attire added to by a ridiculously ornate cavalier hat, obviously inspired by someone's insane romantic fantasy of what a Pirate Captain should look like. In addition, he is wearing a leather eyepatch at a somehow jaunty angle and has for some reason purchased a parrot. After a moment of disorientation he comments "I say! Yarr, old bean!". The parrot, Percy, echoes him "Yarr! old queen!"

Svilfon grins brightly, "Argghh, ye pox-faced bilge-rat!" Svilfon likes to think he is quite the pirate himself.

Cornelius grins "Jolly good show, old salt! Avast, wot? Where to?". He blithely ignores Percy's 'Arrk! Corny's a Bilge-rat! Pox! Pox!'

Svilfon bursts out laughing at the parrot. The wizard/pirate looks closely at it, before replying to the dandy, "To the castle, good si... I mean, to the castle, lord pirate, ruler of the seas!"

Svilfon pointed in the south direction, "To that castle." He waves his arm in the direction, "After you, good sir!"

Later, at the Gates of Venturil Castle

Cornelius follows Svilfon into the castle, clapping him on the shoulder “It’s ‘Captain Cornelius, Gentleman Reaver’, old salt. I’d owe you a keel-hauling, wot, were we not brothers in bedlam old bean. Yarr.” Percy, perched as he is on Cornelius’ shoulder, clarifies for all concerned: “Corny Keels beans, haul!”

Svilfon laughs as he enters the the castle beside the pirate dandy, Cornelius. “Arrgh, ye’d be sharkbait the moment you tried, cap’n Corny!” The guards that surround the castle stare intently at the two men speaking in such a piratical fashion. For a moment they look wary, until their eyes fall on the staff the wizard so casually holds. The Xalious wood staff is the symbol of the mage’s guild, to which their king is the leader. They relax as much as they can, while Svilfon speaks more to Cornelius, “The lady wants us to move some people, I think. If only there was a river, you could make it much easier with your... skip?” He grins.

Jolie trudged in, looking rather weary - and wearier yet, as she spied Cornelius and his ... parrot. The necromancer was accompanied by two guards, who waited by the stout door for her return journey into the dungeons. “About time..” she said, beckoning the two along. “Half have already gone over. There’s a cage in the arena, at the other end...” Flustered, she added, “Dozens of ‘em. A few, he said. Bloody vampires..” The guards eyed her. She grinned.

Cornelius swaggers up, and touches his eyepatch in salute “Ahoy there, Jolly-girl. Cap’n Pointy Hat’s been advising as ye need more booty hauled, wot” Percy is mercifully silent, as he is casting a baleful eye on the colourful plumage extending from the Dandy’s hat - a lesson learnt early on the consequences of escape attempts.

Svilfon silently mouths the words, ‘Jolly-girl?’ before he grins and speaks to the lady, “Aye, I found the dand... cap’n.” He clears his throat, “Now what do you want us to do?”

Jolie muttered, “Captain of a lunatic asylum, possibly,” which brought a not-quite-smirk to the faces of the nearby guards. “Follow these two to the dungeons. There you’ll find the captives, bound and chained in long manacles. Twelve per row, two rows, one each to command.” Drawing a slip of parchment from her pocket, she offered this over to Cornelius. On it were various lined markings. “Map. We’re taking the back end out - through Craughmoyle, into Xalious and the lower Sage forest to the gorge. Ought to avoid too much attention, then.”

Cornelius examines the map with an exaggerated leer “Avast and all that! A dangerous course, dear squid. Methinks the ship won’t work in the trees, wot” Percy nods sagely with n evil glint to his eye “Squids out the back end”. Without changing his expression, Cornelius fetches the parrot a strong whap to the beak with a finger. Percy glares “Pieces of eight, y’bastard. Pieces of bloody eight.”

Svilfon grins his usual lop-sided smile as he leans over and examines the map Cornelius is reading, though he’s careful not to get too close to the parrot. “Ah, sounds good...” The wizard turns to one of the guards, “Well, lead the way.” The wizard’s voice is jovial, as is the smile on his face. Yet when the guard hesitates the wizard narrows his blue eyes and speaks in an almost guttural voice, laced with menace, “Now.”

Jolie said, with a venomous sort of seriousness, “I’m not your squid.” Svilfon got a brief, curious look as she waited for guards, wizard and ... potential zombie fodder... to descend.

Cornelius smirks at Jolie, before commenting to Svilfon “Jolly good show, old barnacle. Have to keep the landlubbers in line, wot?” He gracefully brings up the rear of the parade while Percy gracefully tries to bite Cornelius’ ear. For some reason, there is a slight glow, and the Parrot is yet again left frustrated “Gahh. Pieces of bloody ‘ate”

Svilfon tips his hat to Jolie, before following the guard down into the dungeon. The walls are dank; mold and excrement mixing to pollute the air with a foul smell. Faint moanings can be heard from the prisoners that stand in a line, chains binding them together. Every second or third person has whip marks across their faces, scabs and unhealed wounds festering on their arms, and their eyes... that dead look that only the damned can ever truly understand. The wizard stands before them all, before clearing his throat and speaking in a voice enhanced to boom throughout the deep tunnels, “Right, you no good pieces of rubbish. You will follow me, you will listen to me, or I will cut you into pieces and force the rest of you to eat the remains!” Ah, there is the wizard that killed Lasarus, that challenged Leoxander. Always beneath his jovial surface the rage lives, born by the powerful pyromancy he is learning. The prisoners react as if whipped, standing in a straight line ready to be led by the wizard.

Cornelius smiles slightly, a strange glint in his eye while Percy curses “Hrrrk! Bloody ‘ells bells!

Jolie was... impressed. “Could use more like you,” she stated in Svilfon’s direction, though there’d be a hard look Cornelius’ way. She studied the captives, among them representatives of humanity, a few felines, a wretchedly thin minotaur and even a shifty, hunchbacked dwarf. “I’ll met you at the gorge,” she said, “Maladroit and I cover the path ahead, clear out any interlopers.”

Svilfon speaks again, his voice still enhanced, “This is captain Cornelius, gentlemen reaver of the seas. You will listen to him or...” The wizard turns to the dandy-turned-pirate and raises a brow, letting him finish the sentence. Svilfon said to Jolie, “Aye, lady. We will meet you there. Be wary of the elves... they would not approve.”

Jolie nodded, well aware of that contingent, and prepared as best she could be. Sharp heels ticked her up the stairs, to the waiting gaunt.

Cornelius drops the smile from his face and bellows out “Or I will personally castrate each and every one of you, ensuring you dine on goddamn sausage for the journey.” Percy just glares, making snapping sounds with his beak. Cornelius smiles evilly and pulls out a vicious-looking serrated dagger “And this is what we call a surgical implement, ye bilge-rats.”

Cornelius leans to the side somewhat, murmuring quietly to Svilfon “It’s just ‘Captain Cornelius, Gentleman Reaver’, old salt.”

Svilfon cannot stop the surprise causing his eyes to widen. He turns to cap’n Corny and tips his hat, “Aye...” The single word is laced with respect, before his gaze returns to the prisoners. He looks at the dwarf and smirks, “And you, short-legs.. If you slow us down, I’ll give you over to him.” He motions to Cornelius, “Got it?” The dwarf nods in a numb fashion, clearly terrified of the two men.

Venturil - Doorway to the West

Jolie was solitary shadow, wheeling blackly in the sky. She’d scouted ahead as far as she could, Maladroit’s bat-like reptilian wings soaring over the elf lands, and thought it best to return to the travelling prison to offer adequate warning. The shadow descended, thudding to a heavy landing not far from the miserable caravan of doomed prisoners, the scarlet-clad necromancer alighting and stalking over to Cornelius and Svilfon with a scowl of concern stamped on her features.

Jolie said, “Damned elves... “ She eyed the prisoners. “There’s been trouble in the forest. Rangers all over. We’ll have to keep our eye out for ‘em.”

Cornelius raises an elegantly piratical eyebrow above his eyepatch “Yarr, no bunch of pointy-eared milksops are gonna get in between Captain Cornelius - Gentleman Reaver - and his booty. Let ‘em try, wot!” He pats the hilt of his sabre with a wide grin.

Jolie gave Cornelius a flat look. “Yer booty’s surely big enough to present ‘em with a target.”

Svilfon snaps one of his hands up, fist clenched. The damned procession behind him stops; fear forcing them to obey instantly to his commands, something that causes a smirk of satisfaction to turn Svil’s face from mundane to ugly. Nevertheless, he looks at Jolie and can only shrug, “What he said.” Motioning to Cornelius, “Though, I would rather avoid than destroy.”

Jolie held a hand up, palm forward, addressing Svilfon. “The dwarf. We ought to disguise him... some sort of cargo. An animal perhaps?” Her eyes drifted to the scarred landscape, where a few thin animals scrounged for food in the thorns.

Cornelius is simply strolling alongside his line of prisoners, serrated dagger twirling in his left hand. He smirks at Jolie “Try paying more attention to the perils ahead, dear albatross, than me spectacular assets, wot?” Percy is staring fixedly at Cornelius with one beady eye, a malevolent gleam in it.

Jolie said, “Albatross!” Jolie glared.

Svilfon turns his gaze to the scabby dwarf; more degenerate than is usual for his scungy race, his beard is missing in patches, sores festering all over his face. The wizard frowns as he looks at the forbidding peaks that cover the dwarven kingdom. “Aye, lady. Will you assist me? I can do it myself if you wish to save your magic for the elves.”

Svilfon hides his snicker at Cornelius’s words rather well, he thinks. It sounds like a bit of a snort-cough.

Cornelius glances at the dwarf “Yarr, just gag him, hogtie him, and chuck him in a bag for your pet to carry. Maybe keep the scurvy toad quiet with a paralytic.”

Jolie said to Svilfon, “I think it best that I do so, wizard. There’s more than I counted on. But I’ll take care of the dwarf, while you hunt.”

Svilfon grins at Cornelius, “Or that.”

Jolie said to Cornelius, “That was the idea. Only, the bag will look like game. Dwarves are not stupid, but they do respect a hunter. And besides, it fits my plan in dealing with the elves.”

Cornelius raises an eyebrow, looking back at the dwarf again. Percy chimes in “Raark! Hunting rabbits! Bloody fantastic catch! Pieces of eight!” Cornelius, for once, agrees with the parrot “Pretty pathetic catch, old salt. Still, if ye think it’ll work, set sail and all that!”

Svilfon nods, “Alright.” He turns to the rest of his prisoners and speaks, “If any of you scum think to escape while I am gone, this fellow here..” He motions to Cornelius, “Will chop your heads off and piss down your necks. Got it?” Without waiting for an answer the wizard speaks a few words in a harsh language and seems to shrink a little; not physically, more he seems to become less tangible... As if he were halfway between this world and another. In this state he moves almost silently, heading up the tall peaks in search of the skinny game that forages around.

Jolie waited, mulling over her plan, hatched loosely on her flight back from the gorge. She’d turn to Cornelius. “Nobody better than you to keep that dwarf quiet, Corny.” Pity he hadn’t thought to use those skills on that mangy dust-trap of a parrot. “I’ll need two broad volunteers from the chain gangs here to carry him. And two long poles, which I’ll arrange.”

Svilfon moves almost silently past a pair of small rabbits, they surely won’t do. He climbs higher and higher until he comes across an animal that looks like the twisted off-spring of a bear and a feline. It is stalking those rabbits, its attention almost solely focused on the small prey. Svilfon moves effortlessly behind it and begins to gesticulate with his staff, weaving into the air a tapestry of archaic energy that builds for many a moment. When done, the wizard seems to snap back into this world fully; the beast turns as it snarls, but that is all it has time to do. Svilfon’s attack is unleashed in the same moment; the tapestry of magic hurls at it, constricting around its entire body, capturing it within its insidious grasp. Satisified, Svilfon speaks a few words, causing the net to float up with its prey. Ignoring the fleeing rabbits, he climbs back down the hill, the floating beast behind him. He grins when he reaches the bottom, “The dwarf will fit in that, I think... You could even feed him to it..” He smirks again at the horrified expression on the dwarf’s face, clearly the reason he said that.

Jolie’s ice-green gaze swept over the ruined environment - the only trees a few stunted and long-dead individuals. She drew a serrated dagger from its sheath, perusing them, judging the best candidates for use.

Jolie said to Svilfon, “Yes, that ought to keep the prisoners calm..” Eying him, not unamused, she added, “I’ll need a cavity in its guts.” Then off she went, to cut those poles.

Cornelius pulls a small vial from his satchel “Use this. Should last a day on a dwarf. Keeps a human still for three.” He then grins at the prisoners, a mad look in his eyes “Right now. There’s two ways this is going down. One: we kill our way through, and we get there with the lot of you missing yer wedding tackle, or two: you do what I say. And what I say is this: don’t disagree with a bloody word I say. And right now I say you are actors in a street performance. You have permission to moan. To groan. But speak a coherent word and you lose your tongue. Any questions?” One prisoner makes the mistake of opening his mouth “Wha...?” Before he can finish it, Cornelius is in his face, dagger jammed between his teeth. He hisses “Not. One. Bloody word. For the entire trip”

Svilfon leaves Cornelius to deal with the rest of the prisoners, something he is rather skilled at, as he wanders back to the floating beast. The wizard frowns, before pulling out a small, blood-soaked dagger. The one he used to chop off Lasarus’s head. He looks around for a moment, composing himself, before stabbing the captured beast in the stomach. He drags the blade down, cutting open the beast’s stomach, causing his entrails to plop out on to the dirt. The beast screams in agony, its eyes rolling as it slowly dies. But its cries don’t touch the wizard, instead he cleans the blade on its fur before sticking his hand into the gaping wound and pulling out more of its insides, until there is a dwarfish sized hole gaping in its stomach, leaking blood onto the dirt.

Jolie found a pair of dead trees, not so long withered that they were brittle, yet. The knife acted as a saw on the base of the first, cutting halfway through the arm-thick trunk before a swift and vicious kick toppled it. The next was dealt with similarly and all excess branches snapped or sawn off them. Carrying one under each arm, the trunks’ other ends dragging in the dusty earth behind her, she gave Maladroit a sere look. “Don’t break your ass, sitting on it.” The familiar would’ve yawned, had he a mouth. As things were, he merely wibbled his fingers and remained seated on his rubbery haunches.

Jolie said to Svilfon, “Good job.” She’d turn her gaze to Cornelius, “Once the dwarf’s out, stuff him in the cavity. I’ve a surgical hook and catgut, to sew him up. Then we lash him to these poles.” She dropped them, with a dual thunk. “And this lot..” a sweeping glance over the chain gang. “Are our Venturillian poachers, wanted in Kelay’s north for similar crimes, and in transit to their just deserts. Sound good?”

Svilfon grins wickedly at Jolie’s words, “You are good at this.” He lifts his hand to tip his hat, before realizing it is coated in animal blood. He shrugs, before wandering over to the prisoners and wiping it on a few of them, “For effect.” he says over his shoulder. That done, he wanders back over to Jolie and asks, “Do you want me to go inform the dwarves we are bringing the prisoners through?”

Cornelius looks at Jolie with a grin “I’ve got a better idea!”

Cornelius stands before both lines of prisoners, majestic pirate hat standing proud above them all. “Avast there, ye wretched oafs. Ye now belong to Captain Cornelius’ Zombie Cabaret. We are a public service announcement on the dangers of undeath, and the streets are our message board! You will lurch, you will moan, and you will shut the hell up if anyone asks you anything. You will instead point at me. Are. We. Clear? Silence means yes.” He is greeted by delicious silence, as the prisoners are left in no doubt that this man is psychotically insane and undoubtedly dangerous. The prisoner who almost spoke has blood dribbling from his mouth where the dagger pressed into his tongue. Percy cackles “Cabaret! Pox! Bilge! Pieces of bloody eight!”

Svilfon grins again at Cornelius’s words before raising a brow at Jolie, wondering what she wants to do.

Jolie gave Svilfon a sweet little smile, for the compliment. “Marvellous idea. Oh, but you ought to let them know who I am...” She leant over to whisper a name in his ear, an old name, one she was known by to the King and Queen of Craughmoyle. “Tell ‘em I’m on business, and do not wish to be slowed down with red tape, and to give my regards to Myrall and Fertie.” But Cornelius’ outburst had her hitch a brow high. “Uh.... as.. completely mental as that is... it might just work.” She frowned, restructuring her plan, slightly. “They’ve already been punished with undeath, and we’re taking them to the docks in Cenril, for laborers. We all straight now?” She eyed Cornelius, “Any other amendments we need to make?”

Cornelius raises an eyebrow “Anyone with half a dose of sense can see these guys are still breathing, Jollygirl. And these wretches hardly have the ability to act effectively enough to convince even the most credulous.”

Svilfon nods his head before waiting to hear if Cornelius has any amendments.

Svilfon hmms, before speaking, “I’ll go warn them that we are transporting people through, under command of...” He points at Jolie. “I will not give them specifics, just tell them that we are in a hurry. You two sort out how you want it to go. Agreed?”

Cornelius nods, glaring at the prisoners

Jolie chuffed a sigh, studying the sorry lot of manacled creatures. She flipped a hand, in assent. “As you wish. Just don’t let them mess up. I’ll meet you on the other side, in Xalious. Now can we get this dwarf sewn in?” She fished in her pack for needle and thread, surgical tools kept handy in case of impromtu wars and barfights. These, she handed to Svilfon. “I’ll do the same with the elves. See you both in Xalious.”

Cornelius sketches a salute “Windward ho, dear squid. We’ll meet you there!”

Svilfon nods his head, “Aye, lady. We’ll see you in Xalious.”

Svilfon said to Jolie, “Do you want me to warn the dwarves first, then? Or you can do it on your way through while I stitch this dwarf inside that.” He motions to the still floating beast.”

Jolie shook her head to Svilfon. “Maladroit won’t enter those caves. It’ll have to be you, I’m afraid.” And shot Cornelius a glare. “I’m not your bloody squid.” And stomped off, to prod Maladroit into service again. “Over the mountains,” she told it, “And on to the forest.””

Svilfon hands the sewing kit to Cornelius, “You sort out the dwarf, I’ll be back soon.” With that, the wizard wanders down into the depths of the dwarven kingdom.

Jolie kicked her heels into the creatures side, whenceforth great black wings stirred. Soon she was a shadow on the sky once more.

An unusual performance begins in Craughmoyle

Cornelius parades through the streets of Craughmoyle, his hat sailing above the heads of the dwarves and travellers like a battleship, Percy the foul-mouthed and feathery dolphin in the ships wake. “One and All! I, Captain Cornelius of the Zombie Cabaret, do hereby present you, yes -you- sir” he singles out one gentleman who is paying them too much attention “with the honour, the -Privilege- of our first educational performance. Zombies, MOAN!” The prisoners, in fear of the insane monster leading them, moan in unison, hoping acquiescence will get them to their destination in one piece. Slavery seems like it will be a holiday compared to this man.

Elsewhere in Craughmoyle - Svilfon negotiates for the procession's safe passage

Svilfon wanders into the throne room of the dwarven king and queen. He sweeps a courtly bow before speaking in a strong voice, enhanced slightly by his magic to make it sound a little harsher than usual, “Greetings, proud king, proud queen. Let me first say how mighty your beards are; how fine your stonework; how marvelous your kingdom sits, carved from the heart of this mountain.” He drops another courtly bow, before speaking some more, “I work for the lady..” He whispers her name to them, eyes darting around, “And we have a procession to bring through. Usually, of course, we would stop by, and of course the lady would gladly share a meal in such a lovely kingdom. But we are sorely pressed for time, good dwarves, and respectfully ask to be allowed to wander through unhindered.. Though, of course one of your fine guards can come to inspect our load, as befits passage through your marvellous caves.” The wizard bows again, hiding his crooked smile beneath his flourish. The two rulers gladly agree, and even wave away the need to have the goods inspected. Satisfied, Svilfon pulls out a pouch filled with gems, which he hands to a nearby guard, “For the trouble, for your fine palace. A gift from my lady.” He bows once more, before leaving the throne room.

Back on Craughmoyle's streets: the parade continues

Svilfon follows the sounds of the moaning ‘zombies’ and soon meets Cornelius once more, “Fine show, captain! Fine show.” He offers flourished bows to any who look his way.

Cornelius grins to himself as some of the prisoners start to get jittery, looking around at possible options. Picking the most jittery, he continues his performance as the prisoners are marched through Craughmoyle “Yes Madame! This could be you if you wander unwarily in the dark forests of Rynvale or Vailkrin! Never let the appeal of a holiday cause you to neglect your basic preparations!” So saying, he grabs the shoulder of the unlucky zombie/prisoner, and digs a finger deep into a painful pressure point, causing the wretch to moan in fear and pain “Would you like to be this man?” He turns to other people “What about you sir? Yourself, madame? Fear Not! Merely pass along this wisdom to all your friends to ensure none are caught by the vile curse of undeath!” Percy is just cackling. Non-stop. Upon Svilfon’s reappearance any semblance of hope remaining in the prisoners’ hearts vanish.

Svilfon speaks loudly, his voice again enhanced by magic, “You, fine lady..” He points to a dwarf women with a beard so long it drags in the dust, “Could wind up like this poor soul,” The wizard points to an elf whose hair has fallen out, “Beardless.” Gasps of horror, “And no longer able to eat... Oh, fine lady, do not travel the dark streets without preparation... Too many have fallen prey to the darkness.” The lady turns as pale as a filthy dwarf can, before scuttling off in terror. Svilfon manages to send a concealed wink to his partner in crime, “Shall we move on?” He mouths.

Cornelius quietly nods, guiding the parade towards the Xalious exit

Elsewhere, Jolie makes arrangements

Jolie had her familiar soar only as far as the edge of the forest past the southernmost gate, where alert elven lookouts hid in the trees, armed with powerful bows and magically-enhanced arrows, among other defences. Ordering the once-goblin down, she took to the paths, calling a salutation, “Envoy! Envoy on Venturil business!”

Within moments, a squad of leather-armoured archers appeared, tall and grim in countenence. Jolie thought, quite accurately, that the ‘undead campaign’ would not go down to well with these warriors, and reverted to her original plan. Squaring up, she put on her most officious tone, “On orders of his Majesty, King Rheven of Venturil, a convoy of prisoners are to be brought through your forest. The crime is organised poaching, in the Dead Lands.”

The elves looked at one another, brows buckling into frowns. Poaching was a capital crime, to these people of the forest. Their Captain addressed the Necromancer curtly, “And where are they to be taken?”

Jolie drew out of her pack a clipboard, hmm’ing softly. “Gualon, to face similar charges there. One of them admitted their next target was to have been this very land we’re standing on..” she added that last detail, in a disinterested tone, while the elves grumbled angrily amongst themselves. Jolie smiled inwardly, but her face was still a perfect semblance of a justice-oriented bureaucrat when spoke. “We’ll make our passage swift, that may face their dues in good time.”

The Captain nodded, ordering his men back into the trees with a gesture of his hand. Once they were gone, Jolie exhaled loudly, and said to her mount, “Come on then, we’ll wait for the others at the Gate.”