Fable - Ask Matters of Experience

[Naser Talzin]

Teth

The days were long.

At least they felt longer than they had once been. In his youth it had always seemed like the sun was gone so quick, that the daylight burnt away in a flash and the night was gone even faster. Things had always been exciting, fast paced. There had always been something to do.

Some ship to seize. Some woman to chase. Some man to kill.

It had all been so exciting, so thrilling. Yet here he was, an old man in a tavern. It was like the beginning of some twisted joke. Sure a dozen men sat around him, each one of them as loyal as could be, each one of them willing to slit three throats just to make sure that he survived...but that seemed rather empty when no one actually came to kill him.

Naser was a man passed his prime.

No, that was not accurate.

If he tried, he knew he could have beaten any man. Not fairly mind, but still beaten them nonetheless. His real problem was the simple fact that he had nothing left to do. He had carved his way across the oceans, staked his claim. Built a fleet and sold off half of it to other crews.

Now? Now he was just a man with a name. A name that people knew, but barely remembered.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

The tavern was as busy as ever.

It had been years since Surraya had stepped inside the Siren's Call, but she knew this was one of her brother's haunts. He'd always followed her around the docks with a wooden sword in hand when he was little, boasting of the grand adventures he was going to have when he was big like her.

When he got older, he'd quickly joined up with the first crew that would take him and he'd fallen in with the typical pirate crowds. His dream of chasing adventure and freedom had been twisted into one of greed, violence, and booze.

Sighing quietly, she moved over to a corner table and dropped her bag on an empty chair. No one else was seated at the table, but she expected someone to take issue with a woman, who wasn't a whore, daring to saunter into the tavern and take a table for herself.

It had been that way for much of her life. A woman on a boat was considered unlucky by many, and as such, Surraya had to work twice as hard to prove herself. It'd taken years, but she'd eventually been able to make a name for herself. People stopped outright challenging her once she'd made first mate aboard Ruby's Runner.

Not that the younger faces here would know who she was.

But they would know the Ruby. The ship that vanished three years ago without a trace. None of the crew had ever been seen again, until now.

A few heads turned to follow her with perplexed expressions.

 

[Naser Talzin]

There was nothing to stoke passion like a good mystery. The memory and remnant of something that had not been called upon in a long time.

Naser knew people.

It was an important part of being someone like him. He had carried many titles over the years, 'Pirate Lord', 'King of the Ryt', 'The Butcher of Illia'. A dozen others that the Bards had tried to attach to him over the years. Yet none of them stuck in the mind, not the way that a good mystery did.

The disappearance of the Ruby's Runner was a mystery even Naser could barely remember. It had been an event to be sure, but ships were lost and found on a yearly basis in Teth. Some famous, some not so much. The only reason he remembered this one was because of the people involved.

He knew Surraya, or rather, had known of her.

The man who had Captained her ship had been a friend. Someone that Naser had once thought of as a protege. Slowly the Old man pushed himself up from the table, heads turning as people saw him step slowly across the bar.

His steps almost seemed to thunder on the wooden floor, conversations dying and an eerie silence falling upon the room. "Hello there, Lass."

Naser said as he came to a stop besides the table.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Naser approached before she could even sit down in her chair. She recognized the pirate lord as he crossed the tavern, but she was somewhat surprised to see him stop at her table.

His face was all too familiar, she'd seen him with Noah nearly every time they were in port together. Noah was fond of the old pirate, he considered the man something of a father figure. A mentor.

Her heart sank when she realized that Noah wasn't with Naser. A part of her had been hoping to find her Captain at the old pirate's side.

Nearly everyone in the tavern was watching them.

She took a breath and straightened her shoulders, raising her chin slightly to meet Naser's gaze. No doubt the blame of the Ruby's disappearance would land squarely on her shoulders.

"Good evenin'." She murmured, instinctively lowering her voice.

 

[Naser Talzin]

Sympathy had always been in short supply on Teth. They were more forgiving than Cerak, but the people here were still pirates, smugglers, criminals. Trust was thin, and people were often weary of one anothers intent even on the brightest of days.

That didn't hold any less true for Naser.

Old age had not made him any less shrewd, had not taken away any of his suspicion. He had the respect of many men on Teth, of many women too. Ambition had always been the thing he'd appreciated the most, ambition and loyalty.

Noah had had both. "Where is he?"

The Old Man asked, not moving from where he stood.

Despite the lines on his face, the slight gnarl to his knuckles, Naser still made for an utterly imposing figure. He towered over most in the tavern, he was bulky, and the tension in his muscles seemed to scream that he was ready to break out into frantic action at any moment.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Where is he? That was the question that had haunted Surraya's waking thoughts for the last three years. As always the answer was ever elusive. The simple fact of the matter was that she didn't know.

She took a deep breath, bracing a hand against the back of her chair. Naser was imposing, for sure, but she didn't let him frighten her. Far too often men relied on their physical size to intimidate her and she'd learned to ignore it.

"I wish I had an answer for you." She replied truthfully with a small shrug of her shoulder.

"When I last saw him... he was alive. That's all I have for you." She murmured, a sympathetic expression in her warm brown eyes.

 

[Naser Talzin]

He stared down at her, his expression unreadable as he studied her features.

Reading people was a skill as important as wielding a sword. That was a lesson Naser had learned early on, when he'd just been a boy on the docks. Knowing if people were telling the truth could save your life just as readily as reading the wind.

A part of him wanted her to be lying. He wanted her to be some sort of harpy that had killed the man who had been as a son to him. Yet he could see the truth in her eyes. For some reason that was like a dagger in his heart. "Where?"

The Pirate Lord demanded.

"Where did you see him?" Noah had been a part of his crew before he'd gone out on his own, and his crew were like his family. Sons, daughters, all of them. He would go to the ends of Arethil to see them safe.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Surraya shifted her weight from one leg to the other, dropping her gaze down to the seat in front of her as she bit the inside of her cheek. It was plain to see that she was in just as much pain as Naser.

When she raised her gaze to meet Naser's once more, her features were more composed.

"He was on the deck of the ship that sunk the Ruby with most of our crew. Last I saw of him was when they tied him up and took him below decks. I'm sorry, Naser, but that's all I have. I've been trying to find him ever since..."

 

[Naser Talzin]

The Ruby hadn't been a large ship, not much larger than a Brigantine. Closing his eyes Naser could almost see the ship, the sleek curves, that stupid fucking Sail Noah had insisted on raising.

Lips thinned. "What kind of ship?"

It might not have been a large ship, but Noah had been no fool and The Ruby had more than one way of surviving. It would have taken a larger ship, or an extremely experienced crew to bring them down to the bottom of the sea.

The Anirians could have done it, one of their Galleons, or maybe the Allirian Navy. Bastards always moved in small Flotillas when hunting pirates.

If it had been another crew from Teth he would have heard about it now.

"Who was it?" He pressed, leaning over the table now.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

"It was the Raze, Mad Dorian's ship." She explained in a quiet voice.

Mad Dorian was a moniker given to her brother by the locals in Teth. Even by their standards, he'd proven to be far too volatile and reckless. Once the crews of Teth refused to sail under his banner, Dorian had moved his operation to Cerak. There his temper and depravity knew now bounds, unfettered by Cerak's complete disregard for honor and loyalty.

The Raze was notoriously brutal, but efficient, in their work. They struck hard and fast, often setting their prey's ship ablaze. It wasn't the gold or goods they wanted, just the people. The Raze was a slave ship. A slave ship that hunted pirates and civilians alike.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a young man rising to his feet and slipping out the back door.

 

[Naser Talzin]

His face turned from a general frown to an outright scowl.

The way he looked could not have been any more grim. There was an odd shake that carried through the reaches of the bar, as if the entire city was experiencing an earthquake. For a second things looked grim, then someone called out.

"Naser!"

For a moment the Pirate Lord seemed to turn around, scowling at the Barkeep before he looked back down to Surraya. None of the tension eased away from his face. "MARIUS!"

His voice boomed.

"Gather the men, get ready to set sail within the hour." As soon as he said the words a murmur rushed through the entire Tavern. Dozens of voices instantly whispering. "You lass. You gather your things."

This would be the first time he'd set sail in five years. The first time Naser himself left Teth. "You're coming with us."

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Suri was unsure who was the object of Naser's wrath. She suspected that he wanted it to be directed towards her, since she was the easiest and most convenient target. If she'd been the cause of Noah's disappearance he could kill her and carry on with his life.

But people rarely got what they wanted in this life.

Still, she was grateful that Naser decided to bring her along. If he'd told her to stay behind, she would have stowed away on his ship regardless.

With a curt nod, she grabbed her bag off the chair and slung it back over her shoulder.

The tavern was already a buzz of murmured rumors as Naser's men began to move about to carry out his orders. She knew how significant it was for the Pirate Lord to set sail once again. It was good to know that she'd been right in seeking him out. If anyone would help her find Noah, it was his old mentor.

"Aye, sir." She remarked, a fire igniting in her eyes as she held his gaze.

 

[Naser Talzin]

By the time Naser made it out of the tavern he found the streets running with rumors and dozens of idiots roaming around abuzz with rumors.

He ignored them for the most part, flanked by two of his own men and Surraya. For the past five years Naser had made his home on Teth, deciding that it was not worth setting his sails. Most of his crew still participated in raids and such, venturing out under the command of his first mate Marius.

They could have abandoned him a long time ago in truth, but their loyalty was unquestioning, and none had ever even considered parting from their Captain.

"Cerak is a long ways from here." Naser said gruffly as he walked.

The voyage itself would take weeks, maybe months. Even on his ship it would take time, but he was more than willing to take the risk. If he could not find Noah, then he would take his revenge. "If you have any business to get done, I suggest it's complete by sundown."

He would leave regardless.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Surraya quietly shook her head as she walked alongside the Pirate Lord. "Finding you was the only thing I had to do."

As they made their way through the port city, they drew quite a bit of attention. Everyone knew who Naser was, but the carmel-skinned woman beside him was unknown. It was quite the scene.

What could have stirred the great pirate king?

She looked up at legendary ship as they approached. It was far more grand and imposing than the Ruby. In a way, it reminded her of its captain.

"Thank you for bringing me." She murmured under her breath to him.

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser had commanded many ships in his years. From the smallest sloop to the great Galleons, The Hydra's Maw was one one of the largest.

He had taken it from the Allirian Navy nearly a decade ago. It had been their brand new Ship of the Line, the greatest warship they had built at the time. He'd lost nearly three ships of his own in the attempt, and finally sailing away in the damned thing had been what crowned him as one of the eight Lords of Teth.

In truth, the whole thing didn't seem worth it now. "Don't thank me yet."

Naser said gruffly as they approached the massive ship.

"Lots of people have died around me." More than he would have cared to count. More than he would have liked. For a few seconds he stopped on the dock, watching as dozens of men and women milled about and got The Maw ready for this next journey.

His fingers tightened slightly, head shaking slowly as he then continued up the gangplank.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

She could see why Noah looked up so much to Naser. The man was a natural leader and it was clear how much he cared for his people -- such qualities were rare these days. More and more seemed to be following the same path as her brother.

Noah had the soul of a storybook adventurer. His optimism and charm had drawn Surraya in, like so many on the crew of the Ruby. That same charisma, however, had been what stoked Dorian's ire.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, stepping onto the deck of the Maw.

"There are worse fates than death." She said, coming to a stop at Naser's side. Her dark eyes swept over the expansive deck, finally allowing herself a moment of hopefulness.

"I should go find a bunk." Suri added after a brief pause.

 

[Naser Talzin]

"Go find Tyre, he'll sort you out." He was the Quartermaster, elected by the crew and serving for near a decade now. Naser had first met the Orc in the blightlands after a raid. The man had practically begged to come with them.

He had been loyal, and proven himself more than fit for a fight.

As Suri disappeared below deck Marius approached Naser from behind. The lithe dark elf moved with a practiced grace, his red eyes peering up at his Captain. There was no expression on his face as he spoke, there never was.

"We'll be ready by nightfall, Captain."​

Naser nodded. "Do you think this is a bad idea, Marius?"

The man remained quiet for a moment, then spoke.

"I think every man on this ship knows you would do the same for them."​

Naser didn't answer, though he didn't need to. It was true. He would go to the ends of the earth for any man upon his crew. They had earned his loyalty just as he had earned theirs. Without another word he turned, walking towards the Cabin's Cabin that no one had gone into in nearly Five years.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

Had it been anyone else's crew, Suri might have been uneasy about staying with them; but with the Maw's crew, she knew she didn't need to worry about anyone giving her any trouble. The side-eyed looks and quietly muttered rumors were expected, they followed her everywhere she went.

Tyre found her a relatively quiet bunk in the back corner of a room. He glanced around once and then nodded to the passenger, leaving her alone to get settled.

Surraya tossed her bag onto the small mattress and sat down with a quiet sigh. She pulled a necklace made of woven leather from beneath her tunic, attached at the bottom hung a large whale's tooth with intricate carvings etched into the surface. Noah had given it to her when he'd made her his first mate.

She curled her fingers around the tooth and she closed her eyes, muttering. "I'm coming, Captain." The etchings momentarily glowed a soft blue and then faded back into their innate state.

 

[Naser Talzin]

By the time the sun was setting Naser had cleaned up his Cabin, or rather, as much as he could.

Most of the place was still a mess of gold trinkets, jewels, books, and dozens of other things that had been collected over a thirty year career of piracy. There was more treasure within the little cabin than most pirates would ever see in their whole lives.

For Naser, they were all mostly worthless. "Fetch the girl, Marius."

He told the Dark Elf.

"If anyone will know she will." The bastard was her brother after all, and siblings had a way of knowing things. Naser frowned for a moment as the Dark Elf stepped away from the map table, moving towards the door. "And be nice about it."

Naser grumbled. "Noah saw something in her."

That earned a little kindness at least.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

It wasn't long before Marius returned with the woman in question. She'd come along without protest at the first mate's request, wanting to help however she could.

When she stepped into the Captain's cabin, she took a moment to get her bearings. A lesser woman would have been tempted to swipe some of the priceless trinkets that adorned the room, Suri ignored the glittering distractions.

Her wild mane of curls had been swept back in a practical braid that now hung over her shoulder.

"You wished to speak with me?" While it was phrased as a question, her expression turned the words into a statement.

 

[Naser Talzin]

"I know how to get to Cerak, but we're not sailing there." He had been to that shitstain of an island before. The Black Bay was nigh impossible to navigate unless you knew how, but Naser had no intentions of actually going there.

Doubtless Surraya's brother could be found there, but if The Maw sailed into the Black Bay it was very likely that they would not be making it back out.

At least not in the same state as they were in now. "I need his port's of call."

He told her.

"Where he likes to go when he has his...catch." Naser had never much liked slavery. He was not so self-righteous as others who hunted Slavers whenever he saw them, but the notion of others in chains had never sat quite right with him.

 

[Surraya Evermor]

She pursed her lips in thought and quietly approached the map table. For a few quiet moments, she simply looked the map over and then she started to place markers over the ports she knew Dorian favored.

It was a difficult moment for Surraya. She still remembered her little brother as the excited youth, eager to explore the world. Knowing that the world had corrupted him, twisting him into the monster he was today hurt.

Two versions of Dorian existed within her: the insane pirate with an obsession of control, and the soft-hearted young man with a kind smile. How long had it been since she'd see that side of him? Long enough that she wasn't sure if it even still existed.

A quiet sigh slipped from her lips as she placed the markers.

"Crown's Folly, Torencia, Beggar's Cove, and... Lament." She murmured, crossing her arms once she was finished.

Dorian made it a habit to avoid any mainland port that authorities regularly patrolled. There were only so many independent ports that would accept a ship with such a reputation.

 

[Naser Talzin]

Naser glanced over to Marius. Five years was a long time to be out of the game, long enough for outposts and bases to be destroyed or utterly taken over by some Government or another.

"Lament."

"Of course that place would still be around. Fucking Roscoe." Lament was named after a Galleon that had been sunk in the bay. The crew of that ship had taken the vessel apart and build a small settlement. Over the years it had grown, and now it was a small town.

A lawless town, but a town nonetheless. Roscoe Amarra had been in charge the last time he'd been there. He was a liar, snake, but absolutely terrified of Naser.

"We'll head there first." He told Marius. "Set sail and raise anchor."

 

[Surraya Evermor]

The Ruby had docked at Lament once for repairs after an unfortunate run-in with an Anirian flotilla. The infrastructure was unique and interesting, Surraya had wanted to go exploring to see how it was all pieced together; but Noah insisted that the crew stay close and gave strict orders not to wander off. One unlucky sailor failed to heed the captain's warnings and he'd been hoodwinked by a pair of prostitutes and entrapped by a slaver.

It'd taken a week and quite a bit of money for Noah and Suri to track the man down and safely bring him back to the crew. He'd been lucky, most captain's would have left him to his fate.

The slaving market flourished in Lament, it would make sense for Dorian to offload his catch there.

A dark thought niggled at the back of Surraya's mind: she didn't think that Dorian would actually sell Noah. Ever since she'd started sailing with Noah, her brother saw that as a betrayal. He utterly despised Noah, envious of everything that he had -- including Surraya.

Keeping Noah alive and with him on the Raze would be the perfect bait to bring Suri to him.

To distract herself, she glanced around the room for something to comment on. Eventually, she settled on something simple. "Have you eaten yet, Naser?"

 

[Naser Talzin]

"He doesn't eat as often as he should."

Marius said the words as he was leaving the cabin, earning a death stare from Naser. The Dark Elf didn't offer any sort of expression, he never did, but from his words it was more than clear that he cared about the old man. "The day I need a nanny is the day I cut my own fucking throat."

He grumbled.

"Get my ship moving you infernal Bastard." There was just the touch of a smile on Marius' lips as he left the cabin, though no one without a good eye wouldn't have spotted the slight twitch. Naser glared after him for a moment.

Then he looked down at the map again. "It'll take two weeks to get to Lament."

It was clear the old man did not want to speak of dinner, not when there were more important things to occupy the mind.