CH. 01 - Incarceration!
Feb 11, 2023 12:34:14 GMT -8
Post by Daos on Feb 11, 2023 12:34:14 GMT -8
It's a cool and cloudless autumn day, as the Dark Squall sails the Mistlestraits on their way back north after their little stayover in Balifor. After having their ship repaired, they found little work in the kenderlands, so had no choice but to return to the Blood Sea and hope they don't run afoul of any pirates.
Alas, luck is not with them. A massive warship is spotted dead ahead, on a direct course. The good news is that it does not bear the insignia common to pirates--that of a minotaur skull. But it does bear the colors of Mithas, the primary island of the Minotaur Empire. It's clear that this ship is too fast to outrun and too strong to fight. But they do raise the flag of parley and ask permission to board, so hopefully their intent is not ill.
Once the warship comes up alongside the Dark Squall, the party can see there are at least forty heavily armed minotaurs on board. Granker notices that they have cloven hooves instead of toed feet, meaning they are Thoradorian Minotaurs--often seen as an inferior sub-race, known for being fairly stupid but brutally strong. Thorador is a small village on the southern shores of Mithas and often used for shipbuilding. They make large, strong ships but they tend to be pricey and take forever to finish building.
One of the minotaurs, clearly a commander of some kind, uses a gangplank to board the Squall along with eight of his crew. There is a thick tension in the air, but the minotaurs do not speak yet. Rather, they seem to be inspecting the crew. "You there," the commander says, pointing to Sha'al. He walks up to the Dimernesti and oddly enough, holds up his finger in front of him. "Can you see this?" He moves his finger back and forth, up and down, watching to see if the sea elf's eyes can follow. Apparently satisfied, he nods. He then repeats this for Sumina, Kaelestia, and Arthogate, as well. "Excellent," he says to himself after inspecting each one.
"Commander!" one of the crew calls in awe. "It's him!" he says, pointing to Granker.
"You know him?" asks the commander.
"Aye, commander. That's Granker Thunderhorn. I saw him fight in the arena a couple of years back. He was pretty popular back in the day."
The commander walks up to Granker, looking him up and down. "A gladiator, eh? How're your eyes?" He does the finger test for him, as well. "Very good. Very good, indeed. Lord Myca shall be most pleased." He then puts his arms behind his back and speaks up to the entire crew. "Listen up! You five," he says, gesturing to the party, "have the great honor of being chosen for an important task for the great Lord Myca. A great honor, indeed, especially for those of you of...lower birth," he says, glancing to the dwarf, elves and half-elf in particular. Minotaurs are well known for believing they are the superior race, and anything else is of little use outside of slave fodder. "Therefore, we shall be taking you with us. Complete this task, and you will be rewarded and allowed to return to your..," he looks around the Squall with an unimpressed sneer, "...little boat. Refuse to cooperate, and we will kill everyone on board and sink it to the bottom of the Blood Sea."
A nervous murmur passes over the crew. Harbyn approaches Sha'al. "Your orders, captain?" he asks quietly.
==============
It is Betrayal 22nd, Rout, at Fourth Watch.
(OOC: Casters may choose new spells for the day.)
Alas, luck is not with them. A massive warship is spotted dead ahead, on a direct course. The good news is that it does not bear the insignia common to pirates--that of a minotaur skull. But it does bear the colors of Mithas, the primary island of the Minotaur Empire. It's clear that this ship is too fast to outrun and too strong to fight. But they do raise the flag of parley and ask permission to board, so hopefully their intent is not ill.
Once the warship comes up alongside the Dark Squall, the party can see there are at least forty heavily armed minotaurs on board. Granker notices that they have cloven hooves instead of toed feet, meaning they are Thoradorian Minotaurs--often seen as an inferior sub-race, known for being fairly stupid but brutally strong. Thorador is a small village on the southern shores of Mithas and often used for shipbuilding. They make large, strong ships but they tend to be pricey and take forever to finish building.
One of the minotaurs, clearly a commander of some kind, uses a gangplank to board the Squall along with eight of his crew. There is a thick tension in the air, but the minotaurs do not speak yet. Rather, they seem to be inspecting the crew. "You there," the commander says, pointing to Sha'al. He walks up to the Dimernesti and oddly enough, holds up his finger in front of him. "Can you see this?" He moves his finger back and forth, up and down, watching to see if the sea elf's eyes can follow. Apparently satisfied, he nods. He then repeats this for Sumina, Kaelestia, and Arthogate, as well. "Excellent," he says to himself after inspecting each one.
"Commander!" one of the crew calls in awe. "It's him!" he says, pointing to Granker.
"You know him?" asks the commander.
"Aye, commander. That's Granker Thunderhorn. I saw him fight in the arena a couple of years back. He was pretty popular back in the day."
The commander walks up to Granker, looking him up and down. "A gladiator, eh? How're your eyes?" He does the finger test for him, as well. "Very good. Very good, indeed. Lord Myca shall be most pleased." He then puts his arms behind his back and speaks up to the entire crew. "Listen up! You five," he says, gesturing to the party, "have the great honor of being chosen for an important task for the great Lord Myca. A great honor, indeed, especially for those of you of...lower birth," he says, glancing to the dwarf, elves and half-elf in particular. Minotaurs are well known for believing they are the superior race, and anything else is of little use outside of slave fodder. "Therefore, we shall be taking you with us. Complete this task, and you will be rewarded and allowed to return to your..," he looks around the Squall with an unimpressed sneer, "...little boat. Refuse to cooperate, and we will kill everyone on board and sink it to the bottom of the Blood Sea."
A nervous murmur passes over the crew. Harbyn approaches Sha'al. "Your orders, captain?" he asks quietly.
==============
It is Betrayal 22nd, Rout, at Fourth Watch.
(OOC: Casters may choose new spells for the day.)