Summary 18: Eye of the Storm
**Placing his harpoon like Bisento upon the crate before him, Garland looked around one last time at the nearly empty cargo hold of the Blue Nixie. Climbing on top of the cargo crate he positioned himself at the very edge reaching for a section of rope hanging from the support beam. As best he could he fashion a fisherman's knot and pulled firmly to ensure the strength of the rope was sound. Gently placing the noose around his neck and tightening it, Garland exhaled and jumped off the crate. Unfortunately for Garland his neck didn't snap causing the quick death he sought for and instead he gasped several seconds for air. Slowly swaying back and forth Garland's eyes began to close as death took the Captain's life.**
Garland: "The pain..." Covering his eyes with his forearm, Garland found himself in an unknown place surrounded by intense light. "Where am I? This isn't the Nixie... this isn't the Ilse."
???: "Garland... Captain Garland... why have you abandoned your crew? What are you doing here?
Garland: "I assume I am dead and I now must plead my case to stay in... in whatever place this must be. To answer your question, I failed my crew, I failed the crew of my friend Gustave, and I failed myself. I do not deserve the rank of Captain and it should have been me who died by the death ray of Dractkus, not Cap'n Shadwick. I can't continue to lead my men into danger... I will not cause any more deaths."
???: "Why is it you feel this way after the passion you once held for in adventure, honestly and of the love for your 'family'?
Garland: "Because I am but one word. A failure....
As we approached the Ilse from the Southwestern tip, I took notice that the weather was drastically changing for the worse. I believed it to be unnatural but I could not prove it, but either way I knew it would be disastrous if we could not make it to land. Sending word to the Nixie to prepare themselves for the worse I had my own crew members take refuge down below as I would not risk jeopardizing any ones life but my own. I truly had faith in my abilities and I had faith in the late Cap'n Shadick and all that he taught me. I was wrong.
After a few hours still miles from shore both ships we hit by a massive storm. The rough waters shook the ship like a child running with a rag doll in hand. I remember one of the wave crashes caused me to lose balance and control of the ship. Before I could reach the wheel another wave caused the ship to tilt in one direction and it threw me overboard. Unbeknownst to the safe crew below, I placed all of them and the ship in great peril. The only reason we all did not die then and there was because of my close friend and Captain, Cindel. Discussing matters with Crimson she thought it best to check up on how I was managing through the storm only to find the wheel spinning aimlessly without a captain by its side. Rushing up to it, she took control as I managed to use my strength to swim closer to the ship and the magical abilities from the cloak to fly back on deck. As I reached Cindel's side, another wave crashed into the ship causing both of us to loose balance. As I regained my sea legs, I took notice of the Nixie who though seemed to have better control of the situation, their Captain and Lavina both were knocked to the ground and were a few feet sigh of falling overboard. Their helmsman took control until their captain returned, as I did the same. Unfortunately the distance between both ships grew and we lost visual of one another. We were on our own.
After several long minutes the Glaive finally reached the eye of the storm and I was able to spot the Nixie far in the distance. We took the moment of the calm sea to inspect the ships hull and I noticed minor hull damage, that under normal circumstances meant nothing and could easily await us to reach land for repairs. A shame that when it comes to my life... there is no normal circumstances. Time passed and with it so too did the eye of the storm. We were once again caught in the brutal storm with no visual contact of the Nixie. We managed to maintain the ship this time around, however there as a sudden pounding from below that was not caused by the crashing waves. Looking into the rough water, I could not spot any reefs which was my first impression of the crashing sound, and I had Crimson spider climb down the ship to further inspect. Hastily returning to the deck, she yelled out something about a sea beast attacking the ship below. If the beast kept its attacks, I knew full well the ship would be torn in half, but Cindel and myself could not leave our post or lest the ship would loose control and capsize. I instructed Crimson to deal with the masher and to take Croc along for extra help.
Only later would I find out from Gustave that the Nixie too was under attack by a masher, but lucky for the assassin he easily took care of his problem single handily. He returned to the deck where his helmsman exited the storm with little damage. Inspecting the open sea and blue sky, he noticed the 'sea witch' that Crimson had described for us before disappearing.
We on the other hand did not have a skilled assassin on board, but skilled whalers and one very skilled pole dancer. This unfortunately made attacking and defeating the masher below all that much more difficult. Crimson returned with Croc to inform us that the masher was deceased, however the ship took a pounding and though not skilled in craftsmanship, she knew that immediate repairs were required. It was at that moment did I realize that the Glaive, previously known as the Sea Wyvern was a cursed ship. We were nearly out of the storm when one final wave crashed into our side causing the structural damage to accelerate and split the ship in two. I gave the order to abandon ship but with the remnants of the storm lingering above in the sky and in the waters, I knew that there would be casualties. A few hours passed by and I found myself washed up on shore with the majority of my crew. Urol, Tavey and Jasper were thankfully the only fatalities, even though there should have been none. I was confident that the Blue Nixie did not suffer the same fate we did and her crew would search for us once they realized we did not emerge from the storm. As a few hours passed and no rescue was in sight... the realization that the distrust Lavina now held for Crimson and myself probably swayed her to leave us for dead. Pondering our next course of action on this strange Ilse, my attention was brought to crashing trees not too far away and the massive lizard that was the cause. Seeing it charging towards myself and my crew I drank one of my enlarging potions to further extend my reach with my weapon halting the T-Rex in its tracks. Crimson ran to my side to help in attacking the beast, while Cindel called upon natures powers to allow us to strike the best once more. The massive lizard was smarter than I thought and rather than fight all three of us to attain its food, it snatched my beloved Crimson in its mouth and ran off swallowing her whole. Though briefly shocked at what transpired, I gave chase and slew the beast before it could digest Crimson. Hacking its body I found her still alive but unconscious and I brought her to Cindel so that she could restore her strength. My survival skills though rusty, gave me the insight to distance myself from the blood and meat of the T-Rex as other hostile beasts would most likely approach the scent of fresh food. Instructing my crew to gather whatever supplies managed to wash up on shore as well, we began following the shoreline north to eventually meet up with the Nixie and her crew.
During the eve we made camp and Crimson volunteered for first watch. Though I love her, there are a number of times that I feel she is dishonest with me, and the following morning would be one of those times. I awoke to discover Gavin was gone, and Crimson was off in a corner somewhat shaken. She told me that Gavin had journeyed into the forest only to disappear. Tracking his footsteps to the forest, his tracks suddenly vanished as crimson had told... and yet deep down inside I felt as though she had something to do with his disappearance. Fearful of further loss to my surviving crew members, I quicken the pace Northwards and asked crimson to send forth her messenger pigeon to the crew of the Nixie to relate our survival and attempt at following the shoreline North. While we continued and awaited a reply from the Nixie, we noticed a dark path in the forest filled with spider web similar to the ones we saw in the visions at the Taoactin Ruins. I was skeptical that it could be the same part of the forest as the vision, the one that lead to the old Spider Lady. Even if that were the case, for her to have survived for several hundred years seemed impossible. Crimson believed that she was still alive and that we would find salvation if we entered the forest. I could not risk the lives of my crew to the unknown of the forest knowing that following the shore line would be the best hope of the Nixie finding us. As the unlucky bastard that I am, some form of Ape Demon suddenly appeared from thin air grunting and gurgling. I was surprised when Crimson told me that she understood the beast and that it was actually speaking to us. Asking her to translate, the Ape Demon was one of many who demanded immediate surrender and for me to choose which of my crew would be taken for a sacrifice. Outraged by his words, I attempted a swing at the beast only to have it disappear and reappear several feet in a different spot. It then informed us that for several nights it would return to claim another sacrifice. I could not and would not choose another crew member to die and informed Crimson to relate to it the location of the Nixie. I knew that Gustave and his crew were better off in numbers and in arms to take on the beast should it be needed, and I negotiated for it to take one of it's crew members. It refused and asked for three crew members that would suffice for a ten day period. Though I hated to give the order, I told Crimson to agree. Little did I know, Crimson accidentally mispronounce the number three and instead informed the beast to take ten crew members and somehow managed free passage through the forest. Taking to the skies I surveyed the waters and spotted the Nixie a few days away heading North, as well as a few pirate ships a few days away South of the Nixie. Our situation was not improving and I needed to make a choice.
I entrusted Crimson to venture into the forest for a few hours in an attempt to make contact with the spider lady or any descendants she might have had and to gain whatever information that she could. I could no longer be with or protect my crew and gave Cindel instructions to find shelter and to keep everyone alive. As for myself I needed to warn the Nixie that our travels had not gone undetected and that pirates had followed us to the Ilse. I took to the skies once more and fly towards the Nixie. Though it would take over several hours I could not think of what to say to Gustave and or Lavina when I caught up to them. Ever since Mayor Meravanchi's death, they refused to believe that he was done in by Crimson and her way of foreplay and blamed us for brutally murdering the man. Either way, truth or lie, he did not deserve the air he was breathing and his attitude was bringing moral down on board my ship.
Garland: "As I approached the Blue Nixie, Gustave was first to great me with a bow and knocked arrow pointed to my head. He refused to hear anything I had to say, though when I mentioned the pirate ship his body language told me that he already knew. I told the fool that if he did not care for the safety of his crew, then I would seek out the pirates in an attempt to negotiate with them. My words caused Gustave to relate with harsh words of betrayal and murder. I apparently gave an order to demonic apes to kidnap ten of his crew members for a sacrifice, most of which was true... except for the incorrect number of crew members. I spent several minutes trying to convince Gustave that I was not a bad man, and that I was trying to save as many people as possible, and that I did NOT give the order for the sacrifice of ten people. At that point I was exhausted from all the flying in the extreme sun and asked for a few moments rest in the cargo hold before making my way to see the pirates. The rest you know."
???: "Though you believe yourself to be cursed, you just happen to have run into some rotten luck. There is still a great journey ahead of you and your time has yet to come. Soon all will become clear... my son."
Garland: "Father?!"
**Slowly Garland's eyes began adjusting themselves to the darkness around him. He found himself once more in the Nixie's Cargo hold laying upon the floor besides a crate. Somewhat dizzy he began to lift himself up and in doing so he felt something long and cold upon the crate. Reaching for the familiar object he grasped it firmly, and upon doing so it began to illuminate a small shadowy sphere of light. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts Garland stared at his weapon. Slowing placing it once more on the crate he adjusted his collar and began feeling his slightly bloodied neck from what appeared to be rope burn. Grabbing his weapon once more his eyes shifted to the floor below in search for the noose that gave under his weight. Finding nothing.... his eyes slowly shifted upwards towards the beam where surprisingly he saw the noose he had made still whole and dangling from the support.**
Garland: "The pain..." Covering his eyes with his forearm, Garland found himself in an unknown place surrounded by intense light. "Where am I? This isn't the Nixie... this isn't the Ilse."
???: "Garland... Captain Garland... why have you abandoned your crew? What are you doing here?
Garland: "I assume I am dead and I now must plead my case to stay in... in whatever place this must be. To answer your question, I failed my crew, I failed the crew of my friend Gustave, and I failed myself. I do not deserve the rank of Captain and it should have been me who died by the death ray of Dractkus, not Cap'n Shadwick. I can't continue to lead my men into danger... I will not cause any more deaths."
???: "Why is it you feel this way after the passion you once held for in adventure, honestly and of the love for your 'family'?
Garland: "Because I am but one word. A failure....
As we approached the Ilse from the Southwestern tip, I took notice that the weather was drastically changing for the worse. I believed it to be unnatural but I could not prove it, but either way I knew it would be disastrous if we could not make it to land. Sending word to the Nixie to prepare themselves for the worse I had my own crew members take refuge down below as I would not risk jeopardizing any ones life but my own. I truly had faith in my abilities and I had faith in the late Cap'n Shadick and all that he taught me. I was wrong.
After a few hours still miles from shore both ships we hit by a massive storm. The rough waters shook the ship like a child running with a rag doll in hand. I remember one of the wave crashes caused me to lose balance and control of the ship. Before I could reach the wheel another wave caused the ship to tilt in one direction and it threw me overboard. Unbeknownst to the safe crew below, I placed all of them and the ship in great peril. The only reason we all did not die then and there was because of my close friend and Captain, Cindel. Discussing matters with Crimson she thought it best to check up on how I was managing through the storm only to find the wheel spinning aimlessly without a captain by its side. Rushing up to it, she took control as I managed to use my strength to swim closer to the ship and the magical abilities from the cloak to fly back on deck. As I reached Cindel's side, another wave crashed into the ship causing both of us to loose balance. As I regained my sea legs, I took notice of the Nixie who though seemed to have better control of the situation, their Captain and Lavina both were knocked to the ground and were a few feet sigh of falling overboard. Their helmsman took control until their captain returned, as I did the same. Unfortunately the distance between both ships grew and we lost visual of one another. We were on our own.
After several long minutes the Glaive finally reached the eye of the storm and I was able to spot the Nixie far in the distance. We took the moment of the calm sea to inspect the ships hull and I noticed minor hull damage, that under normal circumstances meant nothing and could easily await us to reach land for repairs. A shame that when it comes to my life... there is no normal circumstances. Time passed and with it so too did the eye of the storm. We were once again caught in the brutal storm with no visual contact of the Nixie. We managed to maintain the ship this time around, however there as a sudden pounding from below that was not caused by the crashing waves. Looking into the rough water, I could not spot any reefs which was my first impression of the crashing sound, and I had Crimson spider climb down the ship to further inspect. Hastily returning to the deck, she yelled out something about a sea beast attacking the ship below. If the beast kept its attacks, I knew full well the ship would be torn in half, but Cindel and myself could not leave our post or lest the ship would loose control and capsize. I instructed Crimson to deal with the masher and to take Croc along for extra help.
Only later would I find out from Gustave that the Nixie too was under attack by a masher, but lucky for the assassin he easily took care of his problem single handily. He returned to the deck where his helmsman exited the storm with little damage. Inspecting the open sea and blue sky, he noticed the 'sea witch' that Crimson had described for us before disappearing.
We on the other hand did not have a skilled assassin on board, but skilled whalers and one very skilled pole dancer. This unfortunately made attacking and defeating the masher below all that much more difficult. Crimson returned with Croc to inform us that the masher was deceased, however the ship took a pounding and though not skilled in craftsmanship, she knew that immediate repairs were required. It was at that moment did I realize that the Glaive, previously known as the Sea Wyvern was a cursed ship. We were nearly out of the storm when one final wave crashed into our side causing the structural damage to accelerate and split the ship in two. I gave the order to abandon ship but with the remnants of the storm lingering above in the sky and in the waters, I knew that there would be casualties. A few hours passed by and I found myself washed up on shore with the majority of my crew. Urol, Tavey and Jasper were thankfully the only fatalities, even though there should have been none. I was confident that the Blue Nixie did not suffer the same fate we did and her crew would search for us once they realized we did not emerge from the storm. As a few hours passed and no rescue was in sight... the realization that the distrust Lavina now held for Crimson and myself probably swayed her to leave us for dead. Pondering our next course of action on this strange Ilse, my attention was brought to crashing trees not too far away and the massive lizard that was the cause. Seeing it charging towards myself and my crew I drank one of my enlarging potions to further extend my reach with my weapon halting the T-Rex in its tracks. Crimson ran to my side to help in attacking the beast, while Cindel called upon natures powers to allow us to strike the best once more. The massive lizard was smarter than I thought and rather than fight all three of us to attain its food, it snatched my beloved Crimson in its mouth and ran off swallowing her whole. Though briefly shocked at what transpired, I gave chase and slew the beast before it could digest Crimson. Hacking its body I found her still alive but unconscious and I brought her to Cindel so that she could restore her strength. My survival skills though rusty, gave me the insight to distance myself from the blood and meat of the T-Rex as other hostile beasts would most likely approach the scent of fresh food. Instructing my crew to gather whatever supplies managed to wash up on shore as well, we began following the shoreline north to eventually meet up with the Nixie and her crew.
During the eve we made camp and Crimson volunteered for first watch. Though I love her, there are a number of times that I feel she is dishonest with me, and the following morning would be one of those times. I awoke to discover Gavin was gone, and Crimson was off in a corner somewhat shaken. She told me that Gavin had journeyed into the forest only to disappear. Tracking his footsteps to the forest, his tracks suddenly vanished as crimson had told... and yet deep down inside I felt as though she had something to do with his disappearance. Fearful of further loss to my surviving crew members, I quicken the pace Northwards and asked crimson to send forth her messenger pigeon to the crew of the Nixie to relate our survival and attempt at following the shoreline North. While we continued and awaited a reply from the Nixie, we noticed a dark path in the forest filled with spider web similar to the ones we saw in the visions at the Taoactin Ruins. I was skeptical that it could be the same part of the forest as the vision, the one that lead to the old Spider Lady. Even if that were the case, for her to have survived for several hundred years seemed impossible. Crimson believed that she was still alive and that we would find salvation if we entered the forest. I could not risk the lives of my crew to the unknown of the forest knowing that following the shore line would be the best hope of the Nixie finding us. As the unlucky bastard that I am, some form of Ape Demon suddenly appeared from thin air grunting and gurgling. I was surprised when Crimson told me that she understood the beast and that it was actually speaking to us. Asking her to translate, the Ape Demon was one of many who demanded immediate surrender and for me to choose which of my crew would be taken for a sacrifice. Outraged by his words, I attempted a swing at the beast only to have it disappear and reappear several feet in a different spot. It then informed us that for several nights it would return to claim another sacrifice. I could not and would not choose another crew member to die and informed Crimson to relate to it the location of the Nixie. I knew that Gustave and his crew were better off in numbers and in arms to take on the beast should it be needed, and I negotiated for it to take one of it's crew members. It refused and asked for three crew members that would suffice for a ten day period. Though I hated to give the order, I told Crimson to agree. Little did I know, Crimson accidentally mispronounce the number three and instead informed the beast to take ten crew members and somehow managed free passage through the forest. Taking to the skies I surveyed the waters and spotted the Nixie a few days away heading North, as well as a few pirate ships a few days away South of the Nixie. Our situation was not improving and I needed to make a choice.
I entrusted Crimson to venture into the forest for a few hours in an attempt to make contact with the spider lady or any descendants she might have had and to gain whatever information that she could. I could no longer be with or protect my crew and gave Cindel instructions to find shelter and to keep everyone alive. As for myself I needed to warn the Nixie that our travels had not gone undetected and that pirates had followed us to the Ilse. I took to the skies once more and fly towards the Nixie. Though it would take over several hours I could not think of what to say to Gustave and or Lavina when I caught up to them. Ever since Mayor Meravanchi's death, they refused to believe that he was done in by Crimson and her way of foreplay and blamed us for brutally murdering the man. Either way, truth or lie, he did not deserve the air he was breathing and his attitude was bringing moral down on board my ship.
Garland: "As I approached the Blue Nixie, Gustave was first to great me with a bow and knocked arrow pointed to my head. He refused to hear anything I had to say, though when I mentioned the pirate ship his body language told me that he already knew. I told the fool that if he did not care for the safety of his crew, then I would seek out the pirates in an attempt to negotiate with them. My words caused Gustave to relate with harsh words of betrayal and murder. I apparently gave an order to demonic apes to kidnap ten of his crew members for a sacrifice, most of which was true... except for the incorrect number of crew members. I spent several minutes trying to convince Gustave that I was not a bad man, and that I was trying to save as many people as possible, and that I did NOT give the order for the sacrifice of ten people. At that point I was exhausted from all the flying in the extreme sun and asked for a few moments rest in the cargo hold before making my way to see the pirates. The rest you know."
???: "Though you believe yourself to be cursed, you just happen to have run into some rotten luck. There is still a great journey ahead of you and your time has yet to come. Soon all will become clear... my son."
Garland: "Father?!"
**Slowly Garland's eyes began adjusting themselves to the darkness around him. He found himself once more in the Nixie's Cargo hold laying upon the floor besides a crate. Somewhat dizzy he began to lift himself up and in doing so he felt something long and cold upon the crate. Reaching for the familiar object he grasped it firmly, and upon doing so it began to illuminate a small shadowy sphere of light. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts Garland stared at his weapon. Slowing placing it once more on the crate he adjusted his collar and began feeling his slightly bloodied neck from what appeared to be rope burn. Grabbing his weapon once more his eyes shifted to the floor below in search for the noose that gave under his weight. Finding nothing.... his eyes slowly shifted upwards towards the beam where surprisingly he saw the noose he had made still whole and dangling from the support.**
posted by Adimarchus | 10:43 AM
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