5th Opal, Mid-Winter, 1060:
The Dread Pirate ship Bellsmaw has been a peaceful place for the past months since their fateful encounter with the goblin tribe.
The new crewdwarves are integrating successfully ... for the most part.
Knifer lies bedridden still, his left arm still sporting a nasty swordfish wound.
Kalen had Boucher take a look at it and it's healing swiftly. The young villager's eyes are bright, but he is a proud young dwarf, defiant. Kalen has spoken with Skipper about ways to break him. He seems handy with a blade, constantly twirling a dagger stolen from some kobolds in his good hand. The lad speaks fluent dwarvish but refuses to speak of his family or life on the island.
The crew wouldn't have known of his status as tribal leader if Tiny hadn't told them. Knifer is extremely proud and stoic, speaking only when necessary. During the deliberation process on the prospect of torturing the goblin leader, Knifer briefly walked out of his room, leaning on Tiny to offer to fight him even in his weakened state. Kalen was impressed but ordered him back to bed; he'd need weeks of training before being able to take on the goblin pikemaster, not including the months and months of recovery required for his current wound.
Tiny is a bit of an enigma. The large dwarf stands nearly human tall, towering over even mighty Sigurd, though not as wide ... yet. He's trained daily with the crew, honing his battle skills and teaching them ancient tribal combat techniques passed down from hut to hut around campfires since the Age of Myth. He's taken quite a keep liking to the crafting of bone bolts scavenged from the fish Fishgut pulls in daily, crafting masterful and deadly weapons which gain nothing but nods of approval from the marksman Imp.
While Kinfer languishes on his sick bed, Boucher coming to him daily to to shower him with water and some of Horatio's famous 'Bat Ray Suprise', Tiny was already making himself useful around the ship, helping expand the dining room to accommodate the new crewmen.
Within the first weeks of his boarding the ship, the crew noticed something VERY strange about Tiny.
Wherever he went, rain or shine, sleep or battle, work or play, he always carried his lucky charm with him. This would not be a problem were it not for the grizzly nature of said charm. No one can explain where he obtained it, and Tiny will not speak of it at all.
Kalen asked him to let it go but nearly had to order the men to subdue him: He would NOT part with it.
Concerned for the safety of her crew (who knows what nasty vile plague is sitting dormant in that rotted thing?) Kalen went so far as to have Q-Tip attempt to steal it from him in his sleep.
Mere minutes after taking her mission from Kalen, Q-Tip returned, her eye blue and puffy, shaking her head. He would not let it go.
***
Time has passed quickly on the ship, sailing around the coast, harassing goblin merchant vessels and preparing to mete out their vengeance with the utmost fury.
***
10th Opal, Mid-Winter, 1060:
Imp sits alone in his bunk, his arms crossed behind his head, remembering the the last few months clearly, not letting himself think about the fight tomorrow.
Just after the battle had ended and the ship was made seaworthy, Kalen had met with Imp to discuss the future and his battle with the goblin.
***
The crew were swaying about on the bow, singing praise and raising their mugs. Imp stood stoic next to the statue of Beardless Bob, staring out into the sea. The crew had just agreed to let him fight the goblin leader much to his surprise and excitement. 'Live or die,' Imp promised himself, 'I'll make him fucking pay ...'
"Imp ...", Kalen said, approaching him. He turned to her, his eyes calm, resolve set in his face.
"I've agreed to let you fight ... but I know you aren't ready. He's a pikemaster. Even stuck in that cage he nearly killed Duncana yesterday, reaching through the bars." Duncana, overhearing, blushes and takes a swig, trying to forget the embarrassing ordeal.
"I don't care," Imp responded, turning back to the sea. "I'm GOING to fight him." Kalen knew. She knew if she didn't let him do it officially then some time in the night he would sneak below decks and let the disgusting creature out to fight him alone, and she couldn't have that happen under her watch.
"I know ... but, all I'm asking you is to wait," Kalen pleaded, showing a momentary concern for her comrade, a dwarf who had risked his life and shown bravery and daring on the deck throughout the past 2 years at sea. "How long?" Imp asks, impatiently.
"Just, please, take this," Kalen responds, reaching behind her to hand him her personal battle hammer. "Train with it," she says, gently handing it to him, her fingers reluctantly giving up the heavy steel monstrous thing. "Train with it until you know how to use a blunt object, for he will certainly not wait patiently for you to shoot at him."
"Aye, captain," Skipper replies, taking the hammer into his hands and hoisting it. "Aye."
***
Throughout the next 6 months, Imp trained hard, various members of the crew joining him on the sparring deck, wetting the planks with blood daily, hourly, and by the minute. As Imp's skills grew, he accidentally knocked out Tiny's right kneecap. Tiny shrugged off the pain and did not ask to rest, but he would not spar again. Horatio, Fishgut, Jaina, Duncana, Boucher, Sigurd, Q-Tip, and Knifer gave him advice and assisted him in training.
Here is a video of Imp preparing for his battle with the goblin leader:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKG5dtU5I4
Author
Topic: Pirates of the Fondled Waters (Community Pirate Ship) (Read 72362 times)