HMS Unicorn IC

[Solophoenix]

HMS Unicorn



OOC Thread

The Gullet is never a fragrant place, not at any time of year. But as the harbour slime, oozed upon the mudbanks by the now receded tide, bakes in the dull warmth of the summer sun, one could not be faulted for comparing its aroma to that of of a particularly sickly fish, which had died some weeks hence, choking on a rotting egg.

HMS Unicorn lies at single anchor. Her Captain, Oscar Faversham, mournfully staring out to the harbour mouth, resigning himself to more waiting, after missing yet another tide. He hates the Gullet. He longs for the tropical waters his mission promises, any waters, in fact. Anything but this thrice-damned hellhole the Admiralty calls a harbour.

"Deck there!"

Captain Faversham snaps his attention to the lookout in the maintop.

"What do you see, Jacobs?"

"Boat putting off from the township, sir."

"Very good."

Captain Faversham turns to address Dewer, the elder of the Unicorn's two midshipmen.

"Mr Dewer, kindly take a glass into the top and see what you make of that boat. Gods know, our guests have kept us waiting long enough."

"Aye, sir."

***

"YOU ROTTING DOG SONS OF WHORES! ROW DRY! Ain't ya seen we's got ladies aboard!?"

The tillerman's admonishment may have been crude, but it seems at least somewhat effective, as the oarsmen are now slopping marginally less of the fetid slime-water into the boat.

The wherry stretches out across the Gullet, now at slack water, pulling straight for the Unicorn. It might have been a romantic scene, but for the stench, and the unashamed wide-eyed staring of the wherrymen. Experienced hands though they are, you and your companions may be the strangest group they have ever conveyed.

The tillerman speaks again,

"I reckon it to be about another ten minutes, sirs and madams, afore you're safe aboard the barky."

[J-H]

Rokar leans against the side of the small boat. He could swim faster than the oarsmen can push this small wood shell, but he'd probably just upset them if he did so. Besides, they're being paid for this and the water here is, as everyone has already commented on, rather rank. A clean lagoon, sea water, or even river would be better, and cleaning the smell off himself while the ship is under-way would be difficult without diving overboard and having to catch a rope ladder or rope to climb aboard a moving ship.

No, better to just sit back and "enjoy" the ride in silence. Hopefully wherever they end up diving isn't as rotty as this place.

[DrunkenMists]

Why can't I be swimming to the boat wonders Anchor who is miserably sitting in the center of the boat being used to ferry them over the dark waters surrounding the harbor. Entering the boat had already almost tipped the rowers into the drink, something he knows they would not appreciate.

[mistformsquirrl]

Aristomache sits hunched over her shield, spear held upright next to her. She says nothing, her mind instead slowly whirring away, trying to think of anything but the awful stench.

By Aventurnus, I didn't think there could be such an odor up here.

[kiapet]

Kwillia stares at the ship as the boat grows closer.
So this is what a ship is like! It's all so exciting!

[Snacs]

The Gullet. What an apt description for such an unpleasant place. As the oarsmen work she draws her bare feet up on to the seat under the robes of her cloak with a shudder, the frail blue fey looking even more so seated next to Anchor's large bulk. She could not wait to wash the grime from herself once out in open waters. She watches the grimy water slosh in the bottom of the boat. Weeks of inland had left her swearing any body of water she could swim unfettered in would do. She was starting to rethink that assessment with the full 'splendor' of Tolde's harbour. She nods at the tillerman and huddles down into herself, meeting the curious oarsmen with deadpan looks. At the very least, the breeze of fetid air smelled(underneath the horrid stench of the harbor) of the ocean beyond. There was that.

[Solophoenix]

"Right chatty bunch, ain't ya?" the tillerman mumbles under his breath.

With that he is silent until hailed from the deck of the Unicorn.

"What boat?"

Harbour wherry! Crew to come aboard you! the tillerman shouts in reply.

"Larboard side"

The boat pulls round the ship to the larboard side ladder, a Unicorn seaman taking the wherry's painter and holding her in place to allow you to mount the ladder.

On deck, you are met by a human boy of about 15, tall and gangly, his face aglow from close shaving. He wears the uniform of a naval officer, his lack of badges of rank indicating him to be a midshipman.

"Welcome aboard. My name is Dewer, officer of the watch. I daresay the Captain will be pleased to have you aboard at last, he's been in a right rum mood with all this waiting."

He leads you through the bustle of the deck to the door of the great cabin under the Unicorn's quarterdeck.

"You had better report to the Captain now."

The Marine sentry salutes as you approach, and Dewer knocks three times.

"Enter" comes the voice from within.

[kiapet]

Kwillia pushes open the door, then walks in. She steps to the side to let the others file in behind her, then waits, hands nervously fiddling with the holy symbol around her neck, to see what the captain does.

[Harbinger]

Ticumekh slowly enters the room, stopping breifly to carefully study Dewer's face. He breathes in and out methodically through his mouth, each breath loud and wet, as if not used to breathing air. Ticumekh turns to Kwillia, holding the door for him, and with a grave seriousness, nods his slimy head at her.

"Thank you." he says, in a deep rasping voice.

With this, he turns his attention to the Captain's quarters, his bulging eyes taking in the contents of room fully.

[Solophoenix]

Captain Faversham is alone in the cabin, seated behind a purely functional desk. The illumination pouring in from the sternlights at his back keep his figure in semi-silhouette. He looks up from his papers as the strange group enters.

"Yes?"

[DrunkenMists]

Anchor follow behind the fish morph and others; looking around and silently accessing how much he can move around without...rocking the boa. Learning to move efficiently; yet without causing major upset or damage to the place, is always interesting

This is always my favorite part; getting used to the boat

[kiapet]

Kwillia, noticing the others' reluctance to speak, clasps her hands behind her back to still them and answers the Captain.

"We're the group of explorers sent by the King."

She gives a smile she hopes looks suitably friendly.

[J-H]

Rokar steps forward, his slicked-back hair reflecting more light than his eyes do. "I believe you've been waiting on us? Your underwater expert team has arrived."

[Solophoenix]

"Indeed? Better late than never, I suppose. Welcome aboard the Unicorn. You will find I am a fair Captain, do your duty and you will have nothing to fear. Do you have any questions about your appointment?"

[J-H]

"I was told basically what we're about. Expect the unexpected and all. How soon can we leave this "Gullet" for someplace that doesn't stink?"

[Snacs]

Aella enters in the shadow of Anchor ahead of her, and for the most part watches the others with curious, sea-green eyes.

"How soon can we put out to open water? I would very much like to swim again in clean waters." She speaks up at the open question from the Captain, her speech thick with a liquid, syllabic accent.

[Solophoenix]

"Had I my way, we would be at sea already, but your timing means that the tide will be coming in for the next five hours. You will not learn any of the specifics of our mission until we are at sea."

[Harbinger]

"Why should we not know now?" Ticumekh inquires, cocking his head to one side. "Are you afraid we would not agree to go if you tell? It worries me that we are not to be open with one another."

[Solophoenix]

"You are part of His Majesty's Navy now, and you will soon learn not to question orders. The information is withheld to prevent intelligence leaks."

[kiapet]

Kwillia gives a respectful nod. "What will be our quarters while we're on this ship?"

[Solophoenix]

"Mr Dewer will show you where to sling your hammocks. If that is all, I suggest you go with him now. I would also extend to you an invitation to dine in my cabin tonight. You are dismissed."

[mistformsquirrl]

Aristomache follows the others without words, having no questions to ask of the captain. Instead she spends her time analyzing her compatriots and mulling over what they'll bring to the table compared to her own skill set.

[J-H]

Rokar follows. After slinging his hammock, he moves around the ship trying to get a feel for the layout. "Where's the gear we're using to support our under water work?"

[Solophoenix]

Dewer leads you all below and shows you to your cabins. You each have a narrow little space behind a thin wooden door, butting onto the curved hull of the ship at the far end, and walled in by canvas partitions on either side. These cabins are side by side, running the length of this part of the deck, bulkhead to bulkhead. Each has a hammock down one side, a sea chest stowed beneath it, and a chair opposite.

"One of the benefits of serving in a research vessel, as opposed to a man-o-war, plenty of room. None of the officers have to share a cabin!

You're all free to get to know the ship until dinner with the Captain, where I daresay he'll reveal a bit more about where we're a-going, we being underway by then and all.

I need to get back on deck, if you have any questions, you can find me there, or just ask one of the hands. A few of them are right royal bastards, and half of them are as far out to sea as they've ever been in their lives, but there be some right able seamen among 'em, you'll puzzle 'em out, ha ha!"


With that, he hurries away back to his post.

Rokar

Spoiler

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On deck again, you find a hand who doesn't look too busy to be answering you.

"Unnerwater, sir? Which I don't know what'cha mean. This 'ere barky may not look much to yerself, but she won't be sinkin' without no bloody hard fight."

He looks at you with a puzzled expression.

OOC

Spoiler

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Feel free to split up and get to know the Unicorn!

[kiapet]

After settling her hammock, Kwillia goes abovedeck and finds Dewey.
"Excuse me, but is there any way I could dive overboard for a bit when we're on cleaner water? It doesn't have to be a long swim, I just dislike being out of the water for too long.

[Solophoenix]

Kwillia

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You find Dewer standing on the quarterdeck, watching over the deck of the static vessel.

"That will have to depend on what winds we find. So long as you can catch up to come aboard again there should be no problem. However, I've heard rumours that the Unicorn will run out 11 knots if the conditions are just right, and the Captain is not one to delay any more than is absolutely necessary

Oh, and do make sure you inform the officer of the watch first, the Captain will get into a right fury if the ship is hove to in order to 'rescue' a man overboard."

[J-H]

Rokar on the deck

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"Well, maybe I'm assuming wrong. I guess we'll find out."

He walks off, realizing that the Captain was pretty serious about keeping their mission a secret.

[Snacs]

Aella looks at her quarters, then at the ship surrounding her. With firm resolve she decides most of her time will be spent up on deck. Folding her hood back, she steps back out and up into the open air again. With her hood down, her strange blue and green coloring is easy to see as she meanders along, inspecting the crew at their work while nimbly keeping out of their way as best she can.

[kiapet]

Kwillia sees Aella making her way around the deck and is intrigued. She thanks Dewey, then walks over to the where Aella is.
"Hello," the Aquatic elf says, smiling brightly. She holds out a webbed hand.
"I don't think we were ever properly introduced. I'm Kwillia."

[mistformsquirrl]

After quickly stowing her gear and taking a look around the cabin, Aristomache decides to head back up to the deck.