A ship rides at anchor, supplies being loaded carefully into its hold, a lot of supplies.  This ship is being readied for a long voyage, from the armaments already on deck you gather that they are expecting trouble on this trip and are ready to deal with it.
This message was last updated by the GM at 09:08, Thu 29 Sept 2005.

Brald walks whistling down the dock, his thin blades swinging jauntily, but comfortably, at his sides, hung from a belt that was nearly a sash.  Seeing the ship ahead, he scrambles up the side, nearly levitating as he walks up the mooring rope while carrying his duffle on one shoulder, and a jug on the other.

Hopping off the rail to deck, he looks around for officers or crew, and heads for the crew berths to pick a good place to sling his hammock.

Varul finishes checking the hull of the ship. Seeing that it is sound and no one seems to be around beneath the waves. He spears a fish and eats it raw before surfacing. He then climbs up the rope he left hanging over the leeward side. As he jumps on deck holding his trident he see's that the ship is still being loaded. And some little person was heading down below deck with a duffel bag.  He scans the deck for the captain ready to ask about the little person...but has already forgotten about him.

Sitting amidships on the prow, Varlath gazed lazily overboard at the calm water. He had a feeling it wouldn't be long before the sails held the wind and they skipped along the waves after some other pirate ship or whatnot. Ever since he had travelled down from the Cold Lands, Varlath found the climate to be a lot more agreeable, even on a boat. Except for a few squalls here and there, and the ever present danger of losing a battle to the pirates, life on the water was ultimately better than living off the frozen barrens up north. Shaking himself from his thoughts, Varlath contented himself with flickering tiny balls of light from finger to finger, keeping his fingers loose and his attention focused while waiting for a signal from the captain, telling them when they'd be off.

"Be careful with those supplies men, get them stored and lashed down, I don't want them rolling around below decks if we hit a squal!" the Captain yells to his men as they go about loading various supplies into the ships hold.  Food stuffs, water, rum, weapons, cold weather gear, all manner of supplies are loaded deep into the hold.  Several men are busy testing and retesting the draw on several large balista, making sure they are in good working order should the time come that they are needed.  Turning to his first mate the Captain asks "Varul, your back! How was the swim? Have you assembled the crew? we are about ready to sail.  I only see two of my marines, I take it the rest are still spending thier advance, making ready to bury The Dead Horse?" he chuckles as he says this last.

Vraul wathced as the Captain looked over his domain. He was lost in thought at how lucky he was to be with such a man. When hearing his name broke him out of his musing, "Huh! Ahh, I mean aye sir. Everything be fine down below. And I am 'fraid half da crew still be ashore. Should I fetch 'em?"  He ask having forgotten the destruction and harm he did last time he went to round up the crew....and a couple of others that looked like crew by mistake.

Calgarvin walks hurriedly along the edge of the docks, one leg seeming to be out of time with the other. He throws the occasional pebble or somesuch into the water, and continues on towards the ship. When he arrives, he boards the vessel and seeks out the captain. "Sorry I'm close to time, Captain. All anyone seems willing to do here is haggle. It took me longer than I had anticipated." He looks around at the last of the gear being stowed aboard. "Perhaps I should assist with the cargo?" and he waits for his captain to confirm his orders.

Vraul doesn't give time for the captain to answer. Feeling like he should have gotten everyone on board by now he snaps, "Don't be bothering the captn about your shore leave. Jump to it and lay a hand on the cargo so we can leave this stinking shoreline."

Calgarvin nods to Varul with a cheerful smile and goes to tend with the remaining cargo.

Seeing Calgarvin jump to work Vraul thinks Besides the captn. Dis is why I like did ship, all true sailors knowin whats got to be done.

Brald stowed his gear at one of the better spots in the crew deck, near the gangway down, and thus one of the few places that actually got fresh air in the stinking hold.

Returning above, he saw the Mate and the Cap'n getting things started for a shove-off, and quicky scampered into the rigging.  Unlacing the casings from the canvas, readying for the order to uncase, and checking the cleats, lashes, belays, lines, and sheets for security and soundness.

Working his way quickly from mast to mast along booms, lines and stays. He joined the crew at the cargo boom, working to secure the heavy spar once the last of the cargo was winched aboard.

Vraul checks over the crew and slowly counts the number he see's. When he reaches 29 he cannot he is not happy. He knows that their is 30 crew plus the captain. And the captain is here. So he counts again. He comes up with 29. He walks over to the cpatain and says, "I see's 29 sailors on board or hauling cargo aboard and we 's suppose to have 30." [Private to Captain Clarke: Of course the capt may remember he always forgets to count his self....]

Xan walked down the dock toward the ship he'd signed on with, lost in his own thoughts.  He climbed the gangplank and walked right past the Captain and first mate and down the steps to the crew quarters, all the while muttering to himself.   "If I can just find the right components to stablize the spell matrix, I won't need to worry about the inflections, I can just use Acibek's Principle to create a basic resonance..."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:44, Wed 05 Oct 2005.

"Well Varul, worry not about that last man, I'm sure we won't be to badly put out being one man down." Clarke says with a smile at his old friend.  "I hope to sail with the morning tide Varul, make sure the men are settled in below, the food stuffs are stored safetly below decks, and the weapons are ready for our sailing.  Let me know if anything is out of order before we ship...I'd like to have as smooth a trip as possible this round out." walking to the rail of the ship Captain Clarke looks over and gives a whistle, when that whistle is returned by the swish of water as a huge beast churns the water nearby, knowing that his full crew is ready to sail now.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Sun 23 Oct 2005.

Vraul starts bellowing "Alright you maggots. Lets get this cargo below deck and lashed down. Then everyone check your battle stations. All weapons to be maintained and kept in well working order. Once ye have done dat. You can square aways your own gear get sum food and grab some sleep. Ye will be needing it. We leave on the morning tide." Then he walks around makig sure everything he hs asked is being done. He was in such a good mood today knowing he was leaving shallow waters tha the was kinda nice in his request today.

He will go below decks and start by checking the food stuffs. One thing he knew, this crew didn't eat live items from da sea like him. So theny need their food stored right. He checks all items, including personal are tied down. If he finds somthing that isn't, he will throw it to the ground and call the owner to task.  He will finally check all weapons. from melee to the siege. For these he hopes we will need.

Varlath absently watches the Captain and Varul interact, standing as the Captain gave his orders. "Weapons secure, sir." Varlath calls out to the man, waggling his fingers playfully and heading below docks as well, making sure his personal gear was strapped down so it wouldn't be spilt all over the place. Looking around, Varlath also made sure his spear and crossbow were strapped tightly in place as well, hoping to prevent any chance of injury.

"Shipshape and all square, Sir!"  Brald tells the mate with a causually sloppy salute, but there is nothing sloppy about his gear or the cargo he'd secured.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:08, Thu 06 Oct 2005.

Vraul is pleased to see that everyone is doing as required for a successful cruise. His spirits are up as he see's and hears that all is ship shape. And once he has double checked....he will inform the cpatain that all is ready.

Glad to know that all is ready for the journey ahead Clarke calls his crew together before sending them back to their duties and bedding down for the night. "People, we ship out on the 'morrow for a round of hunting.  With any luck we will have a good run, and come back with enough to retire on!  Our letter of marque has been renewed to protect the waters around Amn, specificly we are to protect these waters.  We will be out for a good little while, I expect you to keep a tight ship.  I want to know that when the time comes for battle each of you is ready for what is to be required of us all.  That said, finish your duties and relax for the evening.  I'd like you all to stay aboard tonight, I don't want to have to sail while some of you are still sleeping off the nights revelry." his peace said Clarke nods to excuse you and returns to his cabin to go over charts.

"Aye aye Capn," Vraul says. Then shouts "Get back to work and anyone leaving the ship will have their gizard ate by me."

Varlath returns the captain's nod and heads back to his place near the prow of the ship where he takes a seat for the night, retiring only when the sky blackens and the call for curfew goes out. Looking out over the calm waters of port, the young mage's thoughts drifted randomly between memories and guesses of the future.