Fable - Ask O Captain My Captain

[Izzetta Rex]

Akiva Sea, near the Allir Reach

Izzetta was sick and tired of Captain Filmor. He was incompetent, fat, and ugly to top it. Since the crew of the Crimson Lady had been pruned after the Kivren attack a couple weeks back, the unrest was more obvious. Izzetta sometimes wondered if any of it got through Filmore's thick skull, or if he was completely oblivious that his crew was planning a mutiny, headed by his first mate, Izzy herself.

It really had been a strange thing when Filmor's previous first mate had mysteriously died in his sleep. The rest of the crew hadn't been able to figure out why, and had put it up to a bad heart.

Then the second mate had been made first mate and Izzy was made second mate. It was too bad that he wasn't cut out for being first mate and hung himself; the crew had found his body tangled amidst the ropes of the rigging.

So, lo and behold, Izzy was first mate. Captain Filmore was just as tired of Izzetta as she was of him, and he spent most of the time in his private cabin, drinking all of the rum and eating all of the food. Izzetta was already technically in charge; she was keeping the crew in order and the ship in shape, and had even collected a couple new crew members and a stash of gold at a port they had stopped at.

It was a dark night, but no one save for the captain himself was asleep. The rest of the crew either manned the deck or waited below decks for the signal. Although the majority of the crew was on Izzy's side, the Captain still had a few loyal dogs, and unfortunately they were good with swords. Filmore had had to fight his up to Captain, and it certainly hadn't been on his good looks. But he had had his time, and now it was Izzy's time. She thought she liked the sound of Captain Rex.

Edward Lorain Captain Kelly Wells

 

[Edward Lorain]

"Are we sure about this Lucky?"

Edward shushed the man as they quietly rowed out towards the vessel in question. The moon had threatened to give away the comings, but a dull tarp laid over the top of the majority of men had limited any reflection the moon would threaten them with.

"The winds are with us Pots. All we have to do is help the lady with the...exchange, easy treasure."

The man just gave him a look, not voicing the unasked question of what would happen if she went back on her word.

"Or we just help the Captain instead."

That was the end of that conversation as the rowboat finally made its way alongside the ship.

Izzetta Rex

 

[Captain Kelly Wells]

The Pirate Queen and her crew, on the high seas of Akiva. The Saunders had taken a beating with the constant sea storms, and Kivren attacks had caused some more damage. They were heading back to Alliria to get their ship mended and perhaps pick up a few more provisions. Captain Kelly looks over the bow of her ship, and a fine ship it was indeed. Stolen from a merchant in Alliria when she was only 17. The street urchin turned pirate sails to plunder wealth from the nobles and merchants that pass her by, shares her wealth with the poor and needy, and recruits members of other ships to join her rowdy and rough crew., all the while living by the pirate code.

"Ma'am!" her second mate shouted, "There seems to be something idle on the water. Over there". Kelly looks over to where her second mate pointed. Kelly couldn't tell at first with the seas being dark at night. But the silhouette becomes much more clearer and clearer. It was another ship. A pirate ship? A merchant ship? Who knows.

"I can't tells what kind of ship that is" The captain explains. "So many ships around here stops for the night, for they fear the storms outside"

"What shall we do then captain?"

"We gets closer to investigate. If they are pirates, we shant be attacking. For the pirate's code forbids it. If they are merchants, we shall plan to sneak aboard their scurvy laden ship. Their gold is as good as ours then". The crew agrees and prepare themselves to travel towards the ship in question. They can't be unprepared should the ship decide to attack. The crew is mustered to their stations just in case, and if nothing happens, then all will go well.

Izzetta Rex

 

[Izzetta Rex]

Izzetta stood at the prow of the ship, the wind tugging at her hair gently. The ship bobbed in the waves a bit, but it was a calm night. Good, she thought.

It was on luck that no one else was standing by the rails and looking out across the water, and that Lorain had thought to cast a tarp over his little rowboat as they came along portside of the Crimson Lady.

She moved casually across the deck, shooting the second mate a grin. He was standing guard outside the Captain's quarters, and unfortunately he was one of the few on Filmor's side. He met her grin with a glare but she continued her stroll across the deck, passing by one of her men, who sat by the railing, a pile of rope at his feet, mending a net. She winked at him and he returned her shit-eating grin, his teeth glinting in the pale moonlight. He gave a short, barely perceptible nod and Izzy began humming a shanty rather loudly, pulling a bottle of rum from her coat pocket.

To the second mate she was merely drunk once more (nothing new there), but it was the signal that everyone aboard and in the rowboat beside the ship were waiting for. The man she had winked at stood and tossed the net overboard. It was tied to the railing and provided a ladder of sorts for Lorain and his men to board the Lady. The second mate took a step forward and opened his mouth as if to shout something as he tried to make out what was happening in the dark.

Izzy was at his side before he could make a peep and she landed a kick to his gut. He stumbled backwards into the wall besides the door to Filmor's cabin with a resounding thud and Izzy wondered if it had woken the captain or if he was still in a drunken stupor.

She didn't have much time to ponder it as the second mate- she couldn't be bothered to remember his name, they all came and went so quickly- pushed off of the wall and charged at her. She jumped up onto the railing behind her as if it wasn't a pretty high drop to the main deck below and flipped over him, using his momentum to get a hold of him, her cutlass against his throat. The door to the captain's cabin flung open, revealing Filmor's large figure. Izzy spun her and the second mate around, a wide grin on her face.

"Mutiny, sir," she replied innocently as the second mate struggled and chaos erupted behind her.

Edward Lorain Captain Kelly Wells

 

[Quinton]

Spoiler: Music OOC

“Bad luck bringin’ an ‘alflin’ aboard,” they said. “What’re ya, twelve? Eight?” They said. “Sod off, mate!” They said. Over and over again. Was it ‘cause he looked like a kid? A ruffian? Whatever the case, one ship after the other, one failure after the other—none would take him in. So…heck with it! He decided to do the next best thing. GIVE INTO VIOLENCE. Er…not really.

Oh, this little guy could fight, all right. He had proven it on more than one occasion in a number of taverns and back alleys. He could swing fists and kick and sling stones as much as aim arrows. Besides, he wasn’t a little guy, not really. He was a halfling. There was a difference, damn it!

All right…any moment now… Quinton who has no last name because he is an orphan lingered in the darkness. He knew this was risky business to begin with but he elected that he would prove his worth to his future crew by showing them his skills and experience in person.

After all, for him to sneak aboard a pirate ship by hiding in a barrel? That took effort. That took courage. Then he’d pick some pockets, politely sharpen knives for a nice surprise, maybe even sneak a shot of rum from the captain’s cabin or…something.

Truthfully, he was winging this. He was intelligent. Had street smarts. But Quinton was desperate. He only had one dream in life…TO BE THE GREATEST PIRATE WHO EVER LIVED.

Quiet. Hiding in the darkness. Was he in the kitchen? Was he in the hold? He was cold. That’s all he knew. Shoulda brought some lunch…something to munch on…couple o’ carrots…potatoes…rum… He had actually brought the rum but the rum was gone. Why is the rum always gone!?

Noise. Commotion. Movement. Not quiet anymore. Voices. Explosion. Was it? Acuteness in his grip even with limited vision. He listens. The ocean was silent in comparison to whatever was happening topside.

That’s it. This is my moment. Time to shine, little guy! Quinton cracked his knuckles and lifted the lid and…nothing happened. Drat. Again. Damn. Second attempt then third time’s the charm, right? Crap.

The ship was getting eaten by a squid, the rum was gone, and Quinton couldn’t lift the lid…

Izzetta Rex Edward Lorain Captain Kelly Wells

 

[Edward Lorain]

Edward heard the tune and smiled, they had made it right on time. Man, he was good. As the commotion began to sound above them, he turned to look at his small crew and motioned for them all to hurry up. They all rolled their eyes at him.

Many knew Edward Lorain did not lead men into battle. He was a great thinker and often came up with ideas that would win the day, but he was not going to be the first one stabbed. After all, he was the captain, so he had to survive.

After establishing that the others were aboard the ship, he tied their tiny dingy to other ship before he too began to climb. When his feet landed on the deck. His men already had swords and axes at the ready as they made sure not to attack any of the sailors that Izzeta had marked.

"Gentlemen, ugly night for a fight. Let's all put the weapons down and then we can have a drink on your new captain. I-..."

He would have continued talking, but one of the barrels next to him started shaking. Ed looked at it for a moment and then back to the pirates staring at him and his men.

"I think your food might be a bit too fresh."

Izzetta Rex Captain Kelly Wells Quinton

 

[Izzetta Rex]

Izzy heard Lorain and his crew board behind her and relished in the deep shock that settled into Filmor's features as his eyes flicked over her head to the chaos beginning below.

With a quick move, Izzy knocked out the second mate with the butt of the hilt of her cutlass. She extended it so the tip poked Filmor's jowls.

"This has been fun, Filmor, but I think it's time the Crimson Lady had a new captain. Perhaps even a lady, befitting of the ship," Izzy went on, speaking casually as if about the weather.

From below, Lorain's voice filtered up towards her and she didn't let her brow furrow in confusion as he talked about food being too fresh. What in high hell-

She did not risk looking over her shoulder- instead she kept her blade pointed at the ex-captain and moved closer, unhooking a rope from her belt. She saw his finger twitch by his side and knew he was about to reach for a dagger so she saved him the effort and kicked him in the gut. He stumbled backwards into the wall, and in seconds she had his hands tied behind his back and his ankles tied together as well. He fell over onto his side and groaned drunkenly. He looked like a pathetic fool.

Izzy turned around and leaned over the railing, looking down at the main deck where Lorain and his crew were standing off against Filmor's loyal dogs. Lorain's eyes were on a barrel off to the side that was rocking back and forth as if possessed.

"What in high hell-"

Edward Lorain Quinton Captain Kelly Wells

 

[Quinton]

“What in the lowest heavens!?” Quinton spoke low to himself, all alone in his humble little barrel, having no clue as to what was next to his own presence. Hopefully it’s the blasted chef! I’m hungry! And there’s no fresh fish in this insufferable darkness! Though, the poor bloke didn’t even know if he was in the kitchen to begin with. Could be he wasn’t even in the ship he had intended to end up in. Maybe I’m in the brig. And they’ve already captured me. Pirates? Privateers? Smugglers? Ah, what’s the difference, truly!?

Quin heaved-ho to his left, heaved-ho to his right, to no avail amid his barrel with a lid so closed. He could wail, announce out loud his own peril, but who would hear him? Who would listen to Quinton? Friend? Foe? Maybe his parents. Maybe the universe, crazy as it was, had decided he would finally find his mother and father by ending up, not in prison, but in their living room and never mind the kitchen. Oof. That’d be a wee bit of a predicament.

He heaved right, heaved left, felt himself leaning closer to the side. Left right left right left right. I think I’m gettin’ the hang o’ this! Right left right left right left. He felt like one of those marines marching in formation, O yes! His intention was sound. Get on the ground, pop the lid off from the impact. Damn this barrel if it thought it would trap this man!

-CRASH!-
-CRACK!-

Unfortunately, though his barrel did tip over and landed on its side, the lid did not pop off. What broke wasn’t wood but something on his body. “Ohhhh I think I’ve broken summing!” Quinton called and promptly reached for his hip. Something had indeed snapped in half. He felt anguished as much as an idiot. That damned carrot I forgot I had in my pocket.

“WHAT IN HIGH HELL!?” Fed up with himself, Quinton decided heck with it. “HEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEE please.”

Izzetta Rex Edward Lorain Captain Kelly Wells