Island of DOOM!!

[LadyChina]

*following the scent of air not fouled with silk based smoke, she took Dap's place at the open hatch as he stumbled back spluttering, golden hair stringy with saltwater. A few lungfuls of clean air later and the world literally looked brighter. She glanced around*

How about we throw whatever we can out this hatch, Dap. If it floats it was meant to be ours, if it sinks - I guess we won't throw out anymore. Or we could, just to be mean and spiteful, assuming we're going to die a horrible death and the pirates should too. Decisions, decisions.

*grabbing a cask of water she heaved it out the hatch*

It floats! Give me another cask of something. Huh? What are you sputtering?

*A cask of some mysterious substance joined the other out the hatch*

*She watched Dap's gesticulatng hands, alternately pointing at her, his temple, spinning it around in a circle, then pointing out the hatch, with a few pointless swipes at his stringy pride and glory thrown in to muddle the whole message up.*

Ummm... your head is spinning, because you need to blow dry your hair in the wind from the hatch? No? Ah, move away from you? No? Hmm. OH, the casks are floating AWAY. Well, I suppose we need to find a way to catch them, eh? No? Yes?

*She walked to a table and grabbed a piece of bacon, chewing on it while stuffing a few knives and forks down her bodice to clink cozily next to the monkey attire and the note marked "X".*

Well? Are we going to throw everything out that fits through the hatch or not?

 

[Fleetwood]

(Up on deck)

"I can see from your faces that you did not expect to see me here. I can't say that I blame you. It's a little game I play with the new merchandise. I pose as a prisoner and see how everyone reacts. Most times the cargo is docile and everything is fine. But every once in a while, someone thinks they are going to play hero."

The pirate captain draws his sword.

"I really liked the Sembian choke hold. You die first." Captain McMasters points at Marissa.

 

[Dapper_Dan_Bronds]

<cough, hack, burp!>
<Hhh...hair jell..ll..ly goo goo gone! Runs a hand through his hair and inspects it... all gone!>
Wait! The others! And... and... this ship! The pirates can easily pluck us from the water if we make a swim for it... see any land? We must disable the ship... or take it over! Commandeer the vessel! <Dapper Dan momentarily forgets about his hair jelly...>

 

[LadyChina]

You're kidding me.

*The cask she was holding fell with a thunk back onto the galley floor, it rolled towards Dap, causing him to leap as nimbly as Jack had done over a candlestick.*

We're going to commandeer a ship with dresses, now ashes, cutlery, some dirty dishes, and an Owl song in our heart.

Lets move on to disabling a ship. We could take off the steering wheel. We could scamper up the mizzen mast and use our cutlery to shred the sails. We could create a mutiny by telling the pirates that we're all extremely wealthy rulers of various unheard of countries who were just posing as modest folk going about their daily business of - err... what was your business again? No, nevermind, after we sway the murderous masses, then you can pitch me your product line. Whatever it may be.

*She nabbed some pancake off a plate and stared at her co-captive.*

I'm all ears, give me your ideas, but hurry. Things sound a bit quieter up top. I don't think we have much time to find the lesser of evils abounding on this ship.

 

[Dapper_Dan_Bronds]

<Just think of it 'ol boy, Captain Dan Bronds. The title alone commands a decent pomade. Sigh. But the Lady is right...>
Your right dear, without a decent weapon the odds do fall in their favor. <grooms his drying hair, his eyes narrow> We shall even the odds by burning this bloody ship to the abyss and make our escape.
Continue dumping everything out the hatch, I need to check on the others. <Gathers anything flammable from the galley> I'm heading back to the cargo hold, starting fires along the way. Secure your position here, if it gets too hot take a dip <wink and a grin> Hoot!

 

[Fleetwood]

"Bring her to me."

With that command Captain hardcastle gestures to his First Mate who grins, draws his sword, and starts down the steps towards a barely conscious Marissa.

Each heavy step of the Dwarf's boots echoes like a pronouncement of DOOM!

 

[Tiger]

<Looks at Marrissa again, then the dwarf, confusion playing across my face>

Damn... I think I'm goina regret this....

<Draws the longsword and stands in front of Marrissa, whispers to Raisa>

You got any good devine spells... Now would be a good time to cast them...

<Stands ready to defend Marrissa, then addresses the Capt and First Mate.>

Before you take anyone, ANYWHERE, explain yourselves. <Relying on charisma, diplomacy and information gathering, hoping his skills don't fail him yet. > Who are you? Where are we? And Why are we here?

 

[Dapper_Dan_Bronds]

<Uses a knife's reflective surface to inspect his hair. Hmm nearly dry. Looks at the pan of bacon grease, then to LC>
Say dear, can you tell if the ship is anchored?
<As she turns to look outside the hatch, Dapper Dan scraps up a WHoD of bacon grease. He uses the knife again and grooms his hair with the grease>
By the way, what's your favorite colour luv?

 

[Fleetwood]

The Dwarf pauses on the stairs, a smile growing on his face.

"We are businessmen providing a valuable service for our customers." Captain Hardcastle says from the poop deck.
"You are our cargo. You are slaves to be sold to the highest bidder at the Slave Auction in Cro Kerlap."

The Captain raises his voice.
"These are not all the prisoners. Search the ship and bring the others to me. It is important that they all learn the price of disobediance."
"Move quickly or take their place."

OOC: Cro Kerlap is a port city of a country ruled by a group of racial elites that see all races and peoples except their own to be worthless.
They are known as The Scarlet Brotherhood.

 

[LadyChina]

*turning after a cursery glance out the hatch - knowing that with her absolute lack of knowledge of ships and all things anchoring the best she'd get is a 50/50 shot of being right - she found Dap smoothing bacon grease into his hair. She thought, given his plan for playing with fire, that vanity most certainly would be the death of him. Or at least an unexpected source of acellerant.*

Umm... *she chose* we're anchored.

How about you go kick down that door that we couldn't unlock before you set the, most likely impotent, fires, Dap? How hard could it be?

 

[Tiger]

<Looks at the dwarf, snickering at him, then back to the Captain>

Surely one as yourself, could see the value we are raising ourselves to be.... We outsmarted your guard, over powered him, and even now our two missing friends are disabling your ship...

<Not entirly bluffing, since he knows the fire will disable the ship in some way.>

We are far more valuable to you, if we do escape, wouldn't you say? Who would want mere puppets, when they can demenstrate to their foes, they have allies that are strong, cunning and deadly?

 

[Dapper_Dan_Bronds]

<Uses his makeshift set of thieves utensils to pick the lock>

 

[Fleetwood]

Dapper Dan valiently tries to pick a lock with a fork with dried syrup on it.

Pick...pick..pick.

No love. The door remains locked.

The door at the other end of the hallway bursts open and there is a yell as pirates start cursing and stomping on the remains of the dress fire.

 

[Fleetwood]

The captain turns away.

"Kill him."

The dwarf rushes Tiger.

 

[Dapper_Dan_Bronds]

I've come across decomposed bodies that are less offensive then these chaps.
<Takes LadyChina by the hand> Make for the hatch!
<Makes a dash for the galley door>

 

[LadyChina]

*tugging against the sub par thief, granted he HAD been using a fork as a lockpick, she ran towards the stomping pirate.*

We can't abandon the others, Dap. Something's amiss.

*She missed the eye rolling at her "well DUH" statement. Charging the pirate she grabbed his neck in one hand and his crotch in the other, slipped a foot behind his ankle and applied the Sembian Choke Hold of Death to excellent effect. She ran up the stairs and peeked out onto the deck. No sense in being foolishly bold.*

 

[Raisa]

<watches quietly as things quickly spiral out of control, takes a deep breath and using a bit of swagger learned from Dan and a bit of loonacy learned from Lady China I pucker up and let out an ear splitting shriek of a whistle... >Gentlemen...gentlemen... <trying not to choke on the words I continue> Let stop for a minute and think things through. Although I have no issue with you killing Tiger, he has his one true love out there that would be extremely distressed at his passing. <looks towards the pirates as they look at their Captain for guidance, I then walk towards the Captain> Captain... first let me congratulate you on your ingenious pretense. Playing the part of a captive to learn their thoughts.. well that was pure genius. Surely you have learned that this group of "prisioners" will not go down easily. Why you have a big lug in front of you prepared to die for his freedom, you have a woman who speaks to owls, and a slick character who has yet to show all of his skills. With absolutely nothing in their possession they have managed not only to escape from your hold, but are now in the middle of escaping you completely. How will that make you look amongst your peers? A Captain such as yourself wouldn't want it to be known that he plays a coward and shouts for his mommy would he? <begins to feel encouraged as snickers are heard among the dwarf crowd> And the final irony... your ship now burns beneath your feet! <at that a series of small explosions below decks is heard and felt by all... the ship rocks and water wells up over the edge causing those on deck to begin to slide towards the edges.> Quick Tiger, Grab Marissa.. head for the hatch...we've GOT to find Dan and Lady China and get out of here!

 

[Fleetwood]

(below deck)

Rumblin' stumblin' bumblin'...

Lady China and Dan push their way through a crowd of pirates whose attention is on the fire burning in the hallway. Some are stomping, some are yelling for water, some are crying. One enterprising brigand seems to be trying to light a cigar off of a burning hem.

Up the spiral staircase to door left ajar. A peek outside shows Tiger faced off with the evil Dwarven first mate. Raisa appears to be saying something, but you cannot make the words out because of the howling wind.

"Is that Lassiter up there on the poop deck??"

 

[Fleetwood]

(on deck)

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!"
"You are to be commended Lady," Lassiter/Captain McMaster says. "You have a silver tongue, we will see what other use you can make of it."

"What are you waiting for? KILL HIM!" The captain bellows at the Dwarf.

The Dwarf snarls and charges Tiger. True to his name, Tiger jumps aside with catlike reflexes. The Dwarf's momentum carries him too far and he plunges into the open hold.

(splat)

With a snarl, Captain McMaster draws his cutlass and heads down the stairs.

 

[Fleetwood]

Nimbly, the Captain decends the stairs. Tiger growls and meets him head on. Blades flash as the ringing of their blades is almost drowned out by the wind.

Tiger tries every trick he knows, but he quickly realizes that the Captain is a skilled fighter. Soon Tiger is disarmed and tripped to the deck. With a half-smile, the Captain draws his arm back to deliver the Coup de Gracie when...

HOOT!! HOOT!! HOOT!!

A bedragled, starving owl molting feathers everywhere appears out of nowhere and starts pecking at the Captain's face.

McMaster drops his sword and crashes around trying to get the bird off his face.

Then, there is a cry from someone in the crow's nest a second before a huge wave crashes into the ship. People are thrown everywhere as the ship is tossed around like a cork in a bathtub.

The howling wind and driving rain make it impossible to think, let alone speak. You feel yourself falling and suddenly there is water everywhere. You grab for something, anything to keep yourself above water, but soon there is only blackness....

END OF PART ONE