|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 12:24 pm
"Will do." Andrea muttered with a dry smirk.
"So, did you have in mind for this inland jaunt? I certainly hope it is of enough interest, I don't take to kindly to a bland endeavor Captain." she uttered with a slight tinge of dryness to her tone as she always did. She guessed well enough Robichaux's plans were worth her time if he wanted to bring the new crew along. An initiation of sorts, perhaps to show them how this particular crew attended to business.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 3:10 pm
Chris smile widely, with a glance back at the blacksmith...she really needed to get his name. But! Now wasn't the time, not when everyone would be busy setting up the ship to dock. She wondered idly if they would stay at this harbor for long, repairing the ship after the battle, but her thoughts were broken by a little mumble of the blacksmith boy.
"I've seen 'ow 'is crew conducts their "bis'ness". Great ones for threats." He voice was edged with slight regret, and much hatred for his first experience with a pirate. Chris understood his thoughts...though she didn't necessarily agree. In the pirate world, you weren't governed by the rules of corrupt governments. You followed the rules of your captain or you died. At least you could trust a pirate to be dishonest.
Now that the excitement of the battle had worn off, he was beginning to feel the longing for something stable...something he was used to. Chris had never felt that, she'd been glad to be rid of her family, and all they stood for. But this boy, he was part of an honest business, and for all he knew, he father and mother could be dead before he saw them again.
Nudging him in the ribs, Chris whispered. "Just 'cos you refuse to like 'em now, it don't mean you hafta get yerself killed before anythin' happens to change yer mind."
The blacksmith managed a smile before moving to catch a thrown rope. Agile as always, Chris moved as well, catching another. They were docking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 6:50 pm
Clemenza woke up with a headache and a crick in his neck,as he walked onto the deck he noticed that they were just about to dock at some strange port."Did i miss they whole bloody battle? Ah well thats the first time i've gotten a good rest in months. What i need is a drink."Maybe i can help out on deck,I hope the tavern's got good beer. Clemenza wanders around the ship looking for things to help out with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 6:56 pm
Jan blinked several times and tried not to sneeze.
Boy I mess 'is one 'p. Stup'd, stup'd, stup'd! Jan thought, bracing himself as best he could against the soot filled chimney. It was difficult since the soot made him readjust his position lest he fall. With little luck he began slowly sliding downward.
Naw' good
Below, Jan heard the loud thumps of foot steps of the owner of the house. It had to be, or another less careful burglar was trying to jack his mark. Either way he had to get out of the house.
The room had the window he had come in and the door leading back down to the rest of the house.
Ba' 'scape opt'ns
He looked up the chimney and saw another equally bad choice. When the door swung open and loud thumps came closer to his hiding spot, that choice was looking a world better.
With a silent huff, Jan began shuffling his way up the chimney, pausing every so often to wipe his hands free of soot and then continued.
Just as he was nearing the top, the owner of the footsteps peaked his head out at the bottom of the shoot. "'Ey you! I'm gonna get'chya li'l thievin' rat!"
Jan stopped looking down and just redoubled his effort to climb. To his horror, he thought he heard the sounds of flint striking steel and before long, smoke and uncomfortable heat began following him up the chimney.
sun'uv' b***h gon'a fry me 'live!
He began coughing as the fire grew larger and thanked the gods when he finally reached the edge and hauled himself free of the smoky trap. For several moments he choked out the sooth that he had to breath in while staying silent, but when he heard a ruckus on the street below, he realized that the disgruntled house owner had certainly alerted people of his presence.
For having stolen from most of the general populace and being caught only several times before, most of the people would be out for his blood. Jan gulped and shook off some of the soot on his clothes.
If he looked like he had hopped free from an ash bin then people would put the two together and he would be done for.
Naw' good, no naw' good 't awl.
He had to wash the smoke from his clothes and hair, but since he couldn't find a wash in the town if he tried, things looked very grim.
None of his acquaintances would help him out for shier self preservation, which Jan couldn't blame them for. He was on his own to get clean clothes and get free of smoke.
As he thought, he idly ran his hand through his hair and came back with a handful of black dust. Taking a dip in the ocean would solve that problem by letting him walk away dripping with salty brine.
So getting to the ocean was his problem first, then laying low for a while or maybe even heading off out of the city.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 10:59 am
"Miss Andrea! 'Ave I ever let down that incessant thirst for thrill you have? We are going to visit the Western Hemisphere's greatest mapmaker-- and we're going to take him fer all he's worth. He'll give us maps to treasures no one's even heard of, maps of secrets so dark that men have gone to the grave with it, these maps are inked in blood and sealed with death. After years of searching I finally pinpointed where he lives, and now we're going to ilk all those secrets out of him-- no matter the cost." Robichaux walked down through the cobbled streets arms akimbo, with the new recruits and Andrea in his steed-- children gawked in fear, and adults knew to keep their heads down when they saw Robichaux. "Feet over coals, drawing blood, screamin' yerself hoarse, wreckin' their house, slapping 'em silly, there's many a technique recruits to collecting information-- learn them well as it be a subtle art from keeping your victim in a neverending torment between miserable life and a welcome death. But some men give in easy, at any rate we'll be eating after we finish up-- wouldn't want either of ye to be retchin on yer new uniforms."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 3:20 pm
"Yes, we can't have the new crew getting all upset on their first look at our...methods of persuasion." she said with a dry smirk. "Though brutality has never been one of my favorites in getting a man to talk, poisons are always merit interesting results." she said conversationally to the new crew. "Though sometimes just seeing their own blood gets a tongue loosened up a bit. But that is never as fun as the ones that can stand a little pain." Andrea stated flatly as though she was talking about the weather or some other bland subject.
"But we all acquire our own tastes...anyway, let's just get this done. There are repairs to be made before we can leave port."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 7:51 pm
Chris smiled wryly at Robichaux's words. She wasn't afraid of a little blood...though the blacksmith didn't look as though he were gonna enjoy their first lesson. Chris couldn't honestly say that she was going to 'enjoy' it so much...but it would be interesting to say the least.
She nearly laughed at Andrea's comments, and it was true..the First Mate sounded as though she were just passing the time of day.
Chris knocked the blacksmith in the ribs with her elbow and a little shake of her head to keep him from blurting his contempt all over the place. She kept up the pace with Robichaux, glancing with interest at the people they passed. Obviously Robichaux was quite well known.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 9:42 pm
Robichaux laughed at Andrea's comments, "You do seem to enjoy these kinds of things a bit too much miss Andrea-- one would guess I found you in Darkshire with a whip rather than in a county with a book." Robichaux scratched at the stubble on his neck, "All these people-- feh, it be a look to get used to young Christopher; it take a man o' gurt gall to hold his head high as a pirate." Robichaux snuck a look back to Andrea "'Course, I don't mean it can't be a woman's office-- Andrea, you should tell the recruits sometime what you did to those blaggarts in Loch Nova, after that men a good league around knew to respect the women in tow with pirates." Robichaux smiled, a small brown cottage with a cozy thatched roof right at the end of the street. "This be the place, faces o' business crew, it's time we got yer hands dirty." With this, Robichaux rapped on the front door of the house. Nothing. Robichaux looked around a bit flustered but waved it off with a laugh.
"Oh aye, and afternoon nap I suppose." Robichaux, after some difficulty wrenched the door open, revealing an ungodly mess-- the wallpaper was torn, books flung about the floor, blood and ink coating the walls and floor of the small home. "Someone must have...Gotten here first." Robichaux drew his pistol, and headed inside and to the left, to a small drawing room-- he hear a tinning voice from within the room "H-help, help me-- Oh lord, I don't want to die-- don't want.."
Robichaux moved aside some chairs and pulled out an old man holding a rifle from under a desk-- he was stabbed, shot, and had a foot missing-- blood dribbling down his cracked and wrinkled lips. Robichaux held up the man's head to place it on his knee, "Ye be the mapmaker?" The man looked at Robichaux, a trace of annoyance mixed with relief of hearing a fellow being's voice. "Yes...I am Rinaldo, and for many score I have been a cartographer..My maps are well sought after..I kept hard to try and stay hidden-- but all at once it seems I've been found. Pirates, like you, it was a man in dark green-- oh, he had the breath of ash, and the smell of dirt upon him-- an evil man.." Rinaldo coughed blood. "He-he came with two men to take my maps, I defended myself and managed to kill his company...He didn't take kindly to it...After some struggle I gave him some of my maps, but copies-- the ones he has are barely worth a damn-- but they lead to the next peice of the puzzle as it were..After he left, I found that one of his crewman was still alive after I had shot him-- and I mustered some information out of him...Their captain didn't discover my whereabouts, he was 'tipped off' by another...Levowitz." Robichaux bit his knuckle, looking down. "How do you mean?" Rinaldo's hands began to shake as he wiped the blood from his wrinkled mug. "They caught Levowitz in surprise, his ship was damaged already-- so he stood no chance; Levowitz had stolen some information as well, and this he passed on to.." Robichaux began to grow impatient "Yes, the man in green, what is his name, damnit!?" Rinaldo's eyes rolled back into his head, Robichaux could tell by the man's veins and clammy skin that he had been poisoned. Rinaldo breathed out five words slowly
"Dead men tell no tales..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:48 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:49 pm
Chris already held quite a deal of respect for the First Mate, but the feeling increased tenfold when the Captain hinted at Andrea's past. She wondered at Andrea's reason for joining the pirates, wondered if it were similar to her own.
They reached the mapmakers house without interuption, but moments later, when the door opened, Chris pulled the sword from the sheath in her belt, holding it ready.
She followed Robichaux from a small distance. Far enough away that she wasn't a hindrance, but she still heard, and saw, and smelled everything.
The cartographer's voice droned on as Crhis looked at the man. He was going to die, she read it in his voice and manner....it as like when her brother had died. They both wanted everything known, both had need of a confession that his heart would be free of burden.
As the man's voice suddenly became quieter, Chris snapped back into focus. He was slipping faster now, Chris was sure his mind was a mess...as in fact his last words seemed to prove. Did the man know what Robichaux was after? Was he trying to imply that none of the pirates would find the fabled treasure because he was dead?
Chris gritted her teeth in slight frustration...of course the man couldn't have said anything important.
A thought struck her as she watched death take the man, the blood covering the floor nearly black. It was actually the blood that had caught her attention...there didn't quite seem to be enough of it.
And then, where he'd been hidden, alone with his rifle, and under the desk. It was a sad moment to be sure, and Chris allowed it it remain such for a moment before pointing something out to Robichaux.
"Sir, 'tis just a thought...but would not a mapmak'r guard 'is most treasured possesion?"
She pointed slowly under the desk where the cartographer had been found. Many times trapdoors to basements and such were built in houses, Chris remembered quite cleary that one of the houses she'd lived at one time had.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 9:10 pm
Robichaux looked from Andrea to Chris "Well Andrea, our first course of action-- is to take any goods our seedy green friend left behind; and it seems that recruit Chris is hot on the trail.." Following her tip, he went back to the small nook where he first found the mapmaker, having to move aside a table and carpet Robichaux saw what he was after, a small wooden door with a ring latch; lifting it up Robichaux found a green folder and three casks of wine-- the wine a diversion for any snooping houseguest or burglar. Passing the wine to the blacksmith (for safekeeping) he opened the folder and breathed on the dust-filmed documents. Three pieces of paper, the first an essay, the last two a map. The essay was in another language that Robichaux couldn't make heads or tails of, this he handed to Andrea; the maps he tucked into his vestpocket. Standing up and wiping off his knees he nodded to the others to take leave. "We don't want to be here too long, someone will smell this mess eventually...This map." said Robichaux patting his vest, "In the hands of a common man is a naught goose chase, but to one versed in it's symbols and legends, such as myself." Robichaux added giving a smirk, "It will put us on the trail to something..big. That essay should tell us what, exactly."
Robichaux headed out again into the sunny air, looking around "We will stay the night, there's much restocking to do-- as the plans have changed-- this is going to be a long voyage, and we need a good sendoff. My proposal however, is that before embarking, we head to Hilt: the pirate capital, to retrieve information on my new adversary..If he's killed Levowitz he's going to answer to me..." Robichaux cleared his stony face and slapped Chris on the back, bringing her beside him "Recruit Chris! Ye got a good head on yer shoulders-- and good eyes put in em. I am hereby promoting you to the role of scout!" Robichaux grabbed the blacksmith too under his other arm "Ye're pirates now me maties-- and when we find this treasure, we'll be kings!" Robichaux coughed "And Queens, respectively."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Captain..What are we going to do?" Levowitz let his head rest on the soggy wood of his cell, time seemed lost now as did hope to his crew-- whom only half a dozen or so remained alive. "We're getting out of here, soon as we can my good fellow.." Levowitz looked to his arm, he put a small scratch on his arm with a brooch pin each time the ship creaked-- about half a minute he reasoned. His arm was a jungle of scars now, so uniform the marks it almost resembled some macarbe avant garde art. It had been at least a day and a half.
Two men came downstairs bearing cutlasses, without a word spoken Levowitz was take up to the deck and blindfolded. "Andrew Levowitz..." Levowitz nearly gagged as he smelt the hot breath of a man surely ripe of scurvy or riddled with disease. "I always knew you'd be one of the first out of the race..Shall I kill you or your crew?" Levowitz bared his teeth "Kill me...Go on." The man laughed sending Levowitz to a fit of gagging and coughing. "Such a kind heart sir Andrew..As you wish." Levowitz thrashed about as five men stuffed Levowitz into a sack, the end of the sack tied with a rope to a chain-- Levowitz knew the procedure, they'd be sending him off the boat by cannon to drown. Rauscous laughs came from the man's crew as he heards his crew shuffled on board and put onto boats, Levowitz was glad the man kept his word..But why were his men...Screaming? Shots rang out and then the small boats crashed to the water, merely as containers to dump their trash... Levowitz seethed as he pulled the brooch he had hidden, Andrew Levowitz Esquire was not to be killed just yet.
Levowitz felt a rush of air and heard the bang of the cannon as he flew into the air. Levowitz thrust out with the pin and began to slice at the bag, cold water hit him fast sending him into a panic-- hacking madly until a sizeable hole was made-- he ripped at the hole with his hands and wriggled out. Surfacing he looked around to see one of the small boats carrying his dead comrades drifting toward him. He climbed on, and after dumping the bodies he began to row north to Hilt. In the world of piracy, it was not wholly uncommon to go from rags to riches, and then back again-- though surviving it all certainly was uncommon. Levowitz was there again to start from scratch; he swore an oath then and there to kill the man who did this to him, and kill him six times at that, to avenge his last comrades cheated of life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 10:04 am
She merely took the essay from Robichaux and glanced at it absently before folding it up and stowing it away into her maroon colored coat. Andrea siletly noted that it was written in some sort of Latin based dialect, she may know enough latin to desipher it, though untangling the dialect patterns in itself would be an unpleasant bit of work.
As they exited the building she also slipped the poisoned needle that had been used to kill the mapmaker into the same pocket of her coat that held her own collection of poisons and the respective tools for administering them. She guessed that perhaps the tiny weapon would aid in pinpointing the location of the on that had used it. For concentrated doses of belladonna poison would probably be made in places where the nightshade plant could grow; this being in environments of warm temperatures with acidic and rich soil. Andrea left the investigation at that, for they were going to Hilt, and the market there was one place where such poisons would be found.
She then glanced over at Chris, their newest scout with an entertained expression.
"Lovely...a new scout...I certainly hope you don't meet the same fate as our last one Chris....He lost his temper and then his bloody mind..." Andrea said with a sly expression.
"It, was not a pretty sight."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 1:23 pm
Chris chuckled with excitement, sure of doing well in her new position. Her smile widened at Andrea's comment.
"I don't b'lieve much in fate m'am, nor it's right to gov'n mi-life."
Chris was amused by Andrea's expression...she didn't seem to have liked the last scout very well. "That's not to say I'm gonna go and cross it, o'course. No reason to ba'ger a snake when it culd rear up and bite'cha in the arse." She finished with a wry grin.
New to the pirate world, Chris was excited by everything she'd seen so far. It was everything she'd ever anticipated...of course she could chalk it up to luck, but if this was pirates, she was more glad than ever to throw her old life away. Her wish, to be rid of her family and their restraints, had finally come true.
Chris suddenly felt a shiver dance its way up and down her spine. The air wasn't cool enough to have caused it, so it made her wonder. It reminded her briefly of two moments before in her life, one of them just recent. Then the shiver passed and Chris forgot about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 2:55 pm
((I've been writing the backstory for Robichaux 3nodding Which partly explains my inactivity sweatdrop I'll be posting the first few pages in my journal sometime soon--oh, and more RPG stuff on the way))
Robichaux nodded "Aye, next rule recruit-- is yer not to give either I or Miss Andrea any Guff; or you will promptly regret it.." Robichaux entered a dingy tavern across the street from them-- heavy liquors adorned the back shelfs, some so old even he didn't recognize the labels-- this was Robichaux's kind of place, though granted any place with liquor could be considered "his." Sitting down at a round table, and flagging his company to join him, he waved down a barmaid and ordered a round. "We'll be leaving right early tomorrow mornin', you two stay close to me in Hilt-- as you could imagine...It's a very, very rough place to be. If someone just steals all your money while you weren't looking, you'd be one of the lucky ones." Taking a swig from the delivered mug, he swept off his hat and leaned back in his chair-- "Ol' Hilt, I haven't been there a long while..I first went there with Levowitz..Heh, I was always amazed a regal bloke like him could manage in a place like Hilt."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 5:14 pm
As the ship had docked, he made his way down the stair into the lower levels soon returning with a small black box which he slipped into the small pouch at his side. He grinned mischeviously as he mmade his way off the boat and onto the streets. Altering his direction from the captain and the few that followed him he made his way down a side street into the local tavern. He merely nodded a greeting to the tender wiping down the imortally dirty and scuffed counter as if his attempts to clean it would do any good. He made his way towards the back where a small group of people sat playing poker. He made his way up to them as he placed a cheery false smile upon his face, " Aye, mind if I join in on your game here?" One of the members waved him in with a small grunt, gesturing to the others to make room as large cloud of smoke escapd from his mouth as he waved the cigar around. "Sure, boy. We'll be happy to take yer money." The large man said with a deep chuckle.
Jack pulled up a chair as he was dealt his hand placing several silver pieces from his pouch and upon the table before him. After a few minutes he heard the entrance doro creek as he gazed over his shoulder in a cautious glance as it fell upon Robichaux, Andrea, and the new recruits. Nodding slightly in their direction he then returned his gaze to his own hand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
