The Maiden's Bounty

[Rex]

Bryne

"Let me know if I can be of any service Captain."

[spanningtree]

Thena

Checks out below deck.

[Darithe]

Mave

Mave gives the sea witch a warm smile before moving to the ship's railing. She hopes to get a better look at the person being rescued.

[Revenant]

“I do not love men: I love what devours them.” ~ André Gide, Prometheus Illbound

The large sailor Vatta and his younger, fairer skinned compatriot Dally both climb down the lines as if they were born doing so. Nimble and agile they cling to the ropes as their fellow seamen above keep watch and the figure cast into the sea comes closer. When they reach the man, Mave can get a clearer look at him. Skin burnt deep red like the coals in fiery furnace he shakes his head as they reach him, his blackened stubs reaching upward towards the two rescuers as they near him. His pale blue eyes have a look of fear in them. Mave looks at burn scarred flesh where his hands should be and thinks, what caused this man to deserve such treatment. He opens his mouth as if to speak to the two who reach down and pull him up, but no words issue forth. Plucked from the sea, he is pulled upward as his raft bounces against the hull of the ship before its spins away continuing its journey without its passenger. The man goes limp as he is passed upward to the railing. Though his eyes remain open staring at the sky.

Lando calls out to his men, "Take him to my quarters and see that Master Quayle attends him. I shall wish to speak with him when he is conscious again." He is carried below and the captain follows. Mave hears several of the sailors remark that they think the man a Jonah and he is an omen of ill-luck. Mave looks around for the sea witch but she seems to have disappeared and Mave returns her eyes to the sea, as she watches the small raft slip away into the horizon.

No more is seen of the man, the Captain, or the witch for that matter for the rest of the night. Master Kinchlow guides the ship back onto its course sailing towards Lionsgate. The night and most of the next day pass uneventfully. Vari sleeping on deck gains the appreciative attention of several young sailors who try to charm the young ranger. Commander Torvik keeps a watchful eye on his new *ward* Bramsey, assuring that he helps out on deck when needed. Bramsey for his part seems relieved that he no longer has to hide during the passage so he follows Torvik around like a new puppy when not given tasks to help out with.

Mave spends her time playing cards with some of the crew and the bard Mallorean, who when not playing sea shanties and jigs for the crew's entertainment seems to spend a lot of time trying to attract Abaessa's attention. Though the young priestess still weakened from her previous experiences seem to spare hardly a glance at the roguish redhead.

Nis keeps a watchful eye on the priestess, making sure she eats enough, when not spending time with Mediphera and De'Ath. The elder witch teaching the younger one a few incantations. To watch them, one would think them, mother and daughter.

Thena finds the brisk sea air agrees with her, spending much time on deck, her ever doting acolyte Jacinthe, by her side. The two make a formidable sight, both tall and dressed in their plate armor which the sun glistens off of. The sailors seems pleased to have such able priests among them. Several are fellow worshipers and ask Thena's blessings on them for the journey.

Sailors are equally pleased to have the two amiable knights aboard. And Athan and Dorian seem at ease amongst the crew and none seem concerned that the two young knights are from the Vale. Probably because the majority of the crew are a mixture of all sorts from the many islands that dot the southern seas and a diverse selection men from all along the coast. They even find a couple of elves from Magh Meall among them, a rarity to be sure.

Bryne while helping out above deck finds out that one of the crew, a man called Aeryn Cruddle, is from a small village near Oakhurst, and he shyly asks her to share news of his homeland.

The first days fully at sea passes normally, though the next day, LeCrux's bones tells the captain a storm is forming ahead and she recommends they sail further out to sea to avoid it. Unfortunately, this will add a day to their voyage. The Captain goes to each of his passengers to inform them of this, though he asks each if they wish to risk sailing through the storm.

[Rex]

Bryne

Bryne will share what news she has with Aeryn and spend the evening chatting.

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik takes the news like a ranger should and just excepts it as it is. "Very well Captain. Whate'er we need ta do ta reach our destination safely I understand." after that if nothing more is needed he decides to do some training with Bramsey "Alright lad, yer followin me round like a pup is gettin ta me a bit lets do somethin useful. I'm gonna teach ya some skills lad." he finds a spot to train Bramsey with daggers namely teaching him how to care for, sharpen and throw daggers. If that doesn't go well he will attempt to teach him about crossbows next, maybe even proper fighting stances etc.

[spanningtree]

Thena

Will bless the crew and vessel from the fore-deck while performing a basic service:

Tempus, Almighty Lord of Battles, grant your favor to these brave sailors and the vessel that bears them across the ever-changing tides. Bless their passage with fair winds and calm waters, guiding them safely between all ports of call. Should duty demand they take up arms, let them strike with the strength of your will and the clarity of your purpose. May they find courage in your name, and victory through discipline, unity, and unwavering faith in your tenets. Let the sea itself bear witness to their valor, and may their enemies falter before your divine might. Hail Tempus, ever watchful, ever just.

Chatting with the captain: Regarding travel through the storm, I would prefer not to but will defer to Mave regarding our timeline and appointments. Does the additional guest, the one plucked from the raft, require divine healing?

[tristenc]

Nis will offer healing for the recovered man. But aside to her companions, LeCrux and the captain she will confide. No hands to write nor tongue to speak. I fear this is indeed a trap. We must establish some way to communicate with him. His fear seems not only for himself. Yes-no questions may reveal something, but we should learn what we can quickly.

===
During the passing days she will be curious about LeCrux' training and the ways of sea-witches, asking questions and sharing about her own path in-turn if LeCrux is interested. She wil, try to determine how Abaessa is holding up/ and if she seems to be recovering gradually or sinking deeper into her melancholy. She will also check in on Mediphera and De'Ath regularly. Since the girl was human, it seemed likely the ways of a studious witch would be more effective than those of the Fey, but she will teach the girl what she can. Nis will focus on guiding her in 'sensing' the divine, the energy between all living things, and hearing the voice of their patron. Things not easy for those without the blood of the fey, but this girl was specially chosen... surely their patron would choose a vessel that could sense her energy...

[Darithe]

Mave

Mave takes a break from her gambling to speak with the captain about the storm. "Please avoid the storm, we've time to spare getting to Lionsgate and it won't matter if we are day late. As to the hapless passenger, we should try to speak to him about what occurred to find him lost at sea. Hopefully, he can offer some sort of communication," she says perplexed as she looks out to sea where the storm is expected.

[Revenant]

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.” ~ H.P. Lovecraft

Mave gaze sees black clouds and stormy seas on the horizon. Hopefully, the captain can avoid the coming storm but in her heart she felt another storm on the horizon, one unseen but coming nonetheless.

Storm or not, activities continue upon the Maiden's Bounty...

Torvik takes it upon him self to spend some time training his *ward*. Bramsey is a bright lad, perhaps too bright for his own good. He follows Torvik's teachings about the use of daggers with attentive and watchful eyes, eager to learn how to improve his skills with the weapon. However, when the dwarven commander tries to teach him about crossbows, he seems disinterested and his mind easily wanders. When confronted by Torvik regarding his laziness in learning the art of the crossbow, the half-elf remarks, "Why should I bother with a useless bow when I can send a magical bolt into my enemy and never miss?" The half-elven mage-thief says "Teach me how to pick pockets or hide from my foes. Now those are useful skills."

Aeryn the young sailor who Bryne regales with tales of home is a bit starstruck by the beautiful young noblewoman. When his duties are done, he frequently slips off to talk to Bryne of Oakhurst and his home village. At one point he presents her with a scrimshaw carving of the Valshire coat of arms carved into a sealion tusk. He also inquires about what it would take to become a ranger of the Horn, like herself.

When Thena asks if the lost soul on the raft requires additional healing, the captain states the man that his ship's surgeon Master Quayle has seen to the man and declared he seems healthy save for the burned stubs where his hands once were and the fact that his tongue appears to have been cut out relatively recently. The man also seems fearful at any touch and merely lays in the captain's quarters on his cot whimpering and cowering when any approach.

Dorian and Athan occasionally workout together on deck displaying their athleticism and weapon skills. No doubt hopeful of participating in the tourney.

Nis has a few short conversations with LeCrux. The woman is taciturn and doesn't reveal a lot about her training in her tradition, only that sea-witches are common on trading and some pirate vessels. They are adept at controlling elements and at predicting if safe or stormy seas are ahead. She agrees with Nis' fear that the man is a trap meant for the ship or someone traveling on it. But her only thoughts on a remedy is to the toss the man back to the seas. As she says this, she meets Nis' eyes, "Would you assist me in this task?" She looks at the fellow witch thoughtfully, "It would be best done out of sight of the others."

Nis' other activities include looking after her three companions, Abaessa (who seems to be flourishing in her recovery, perhaps due to the sea air), Mediphera (who Nis notes sometimes talking privately to LeCrux though they quickly stop and walk away if someone else notices) and De'Athyra (who unlike Bramsey is an attentive student in all thing including the teachings of Mediphera and Nis, when not distracted by the ever enticing Sir Ducky).

Mave have thought about the storm and the strange man found adrift calls her companions together and asks they all meet in the Captain's cabin shortly before supper to see if they can help or determine the truth of the man plucked from the sea. She arranges it with the captain for the appointed hour.

[Rex]

Bryne

"Why thank you Aeryn, very nice work."

When the topic of becoming a ranger of the horn comes up, "Many years of hard work I am afraid. I began my training at the age of 14. But, some are called to it later in life and depending on circumstances can become a ranger much faster then I did. If you are truly interested, and think carefully it is a very serious commitment. And to be clear I would not look down on you at all for not taking me up on my offer, but if you truly wish to try I can write you a letter of introduction that you can take to Rangers and perhaps they would take you in as an apprentice."

[GreyWolfVT]

Torvik in response to Bramsey he actually nods his head "I get ya. If that be tha case me strong suite is in lock pickin an findin and disarmin traps. How about we work on that next eh?" he asks his ward then will work on that instead if that is of no interested then he will work on dodging, fighting stances and the art of tactical retreating.

[tristenc]

Nis shakes her head sadly at LeCrux, I will not condemn him to death without knowing more of the nature of this threat. He may not himself be the danger, and he may be able to inform us of it.

since it has been a few days in the journey and the man has been uncooperative, would Nis be able to swap one of her spells out for Charm Person? Maybe she can get the man to be willing to communicate with that, and she can ask yes/no questions respond to.

====
If the spell is available and he is willing she will get the party and try to coax him to answer questions. She will ask if he understands her and can read. If he can read she will make a list of words and concepts for him to point to to build his answers. If he cannot read she will try to make drawings of the concepts below (yes and no being left off as he can nod or shake his head). Good, evil, neutral can be holy symbols or easily recognized like that

Yes, No, Good, Evil, neutral
fire, water, air, land,
witch, soldier, knight, ruler, merchant, peasant, worker, pirate, thief, sailor,
near, far, above, below, draw a compass rose (N,S,E,W)
castle, boat, wagon, shack, palace, tent, building, cave, field, mountain, road, river
horse, bird, fish, cat, sheep, dog
steal, kill, hurt, truth, falsehood
help, heal, give, take
run, swim, fly, stand, lie down
follow, leave, arrive,
hear, see, taste, touch,