Part One: The Wormwood - Game Thread

"My name's Tobarrus, in case anyone is curious", the handsome blond man who had so far still been lying unconscious suddenly announces. He gets up, first on all fours, then standing up. Rubbing the back of his head, he looks around and asks: "Is this a ship? I don't remember getting on any ship"
He pauses and thinks for a moment. "I don't even remember getting drunk enough to sign up for a job. I was just strolling by the port..."

"Aye mate, that's usually the way it goes. It seems that we all fell prey to same crew at some point. Probably within the last day or so." Menno says as he hears Tobarrus speak.

"Tobarrus, seems someone volunteered you without yer consent."

"Alright, so which one of yous pissed off some grumpy captain and got us into this mess?", he asks. "Wasn't me. I've just been minding my own business for at least a few days by now

"Don't look at me, I was happily spending time with a feisty red haired wench. I step out of the tavern and I remember getting jumped by several people. The next part is pretty obvious."

"Alright, shut it. Enough w'the useless chatter. Anyone here'a good'nough sailor ta tell how big this boat is? How big the crew'd hafta be?" There's another pause before his gruff, accented baritone asks, "An see if'n nobody can' find'a lantern or somethin' ta see down here."

Menno looks around at the room they are in. Judging what the dimensions are and by how the ship is moving, he hopes to get a rough idea of how big it is and a rough crew count.

Suddenly, the pounding of boots from nearby catches everyone's attention. From a nearby set of stairs leading up appears a tall, cruel-looking man with a close-lipped "smile" that looks physically painful for him to make. In his hand, he carries a whip, its lash coiled up in his fist. Behind him are several more people, their dress betraying their profession. These are pirates, and you deduce that you're aboard their ship. Each carries a sap in their hand, and sneers wickedly as their leader admonishes your group.

Still huddled below deck like children with the sun over the yardarm? Get up on deck, ye filthy swabs, and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast! He releases the lash of the whip and it falls to just brush the floor with its tip. His lips curl into a gruesome rictus revealing a mouthful of rotten, gold-capped teeth.

"Well that answers that question." Menno whispers as he turns and prepares to leave their former prison.

Tobarrus frowns and looks at his small group of companions. They look strong but he doubts they could take on their kidnappers, especially unarmed.
"Alright", he says, making a step towards the whip-wielding fellow with the unpleasant smile. "Show me what to do and I'll do it. Not like I have anything better to do"

Getting on deck sounds like the best plan right now anyway. He can get a view on the situation, establish whether they are still near the land or not and maybe even find out if Shavla had the brains to follow him when he was abducted.

"Besmara's broadsides ye could have asked."

Flora heads topside to see and learn more of her predicament.

A low growl escapes Ian's throat as he stalks towards the ramp. His red hair billows around him slightly as he heads towards top deck with he others. His indigo eyes flare with defiance as he goes along with the others.

Press ganged, thought Natsumi to herself as she tied the scarf around her head. She climbed the steps up and out of the hold and took a deep breath of sea air before pushing her hat down onto her head. She looked around the ship some, but focusesd most of her attention on the man with the whip and his armed muscle.

She made a mock curtsy at the man with the whip, pretending to hold the imaginary hem of a dress she wasn’t wearing, amber eyes appraising the crewmen, looking for valuables, weapons, or anything she could take surreptitiously.

Jix comes awake to hear the pirates words. She is quick to her feat although did wobble a bit. Doesn't take a moment to see what she is wearing and everyone to figure what just happened. Wordlessly she makes for the deck with everyone else.

The scowling pirate with the whip marches you up the stairs. You pass one other deck before emerging into the fresh air mixed with the tang of salt and a gentle sea breeze. You note that far in the distance there is the hazy outline of what you think could be land, but you recognize quickly that the ship you're on is sailing in the open waters.

The deck is full of more pirates, all clustered together, looking to the stern of the ship. Above the main deck stands a large, bald man with an eye patch and long beard bound with gold rings. Next to him is a younger balding man with a long, black ponytail. He sneers as he taps a well-worn cat-o'-nine-tails in his hand.

The pirate who brought your group onto the upper deck herds you into the middle of the ship, where you notice four other "recruits". Judging by their clean clothes and nervous expressions, they too were pressed into service aboard this vessel.

The large man waits for the newcomers to get into place before addressing everyone in a loud, booming voice. Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for "volunteering" to join my crew. I’m Barnabas Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don’t speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that rule and we’ll all get along fine.

The churlish captain paces about the deck as he speaks. You notice the ornate ship's wheel mounted in front of him. Toward the back of the deck is a cage with a decaying body inside. A large parrot is perched on it, twisting its head about in a morbidly comic way. The captain continues, Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There’ll be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. With that, he looks at the man beside him and says, Mr. Plugg! If you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of ’em. With that, the captain walks away, leaving you to the dour Mr. Plugg.

From his perch on the poop deck, Mr. Plugg shouts down to the 10 of you who are new. Alright, ye stinkin' landlubbers, ye heard th' cap'n! He stalks down the steps to the main deck and stands in front of your group. He is nearly six feet tall. The crown of his head is bald, and what remains is pulled back tightly into a greasy black ponytail that easily reaches the middle of his back. He gestures with a wicked-looking cat-o'-nine-tails to emphasize his points as he speaks to you, making every intent to intimidate and threaten. He peers at your group through slitted eyelids, his pupils glittering with hatred.

We'll be havin' a wee test o' skill first thing. See the crow's nest yonder? He points at a narrow platform high above the main deck. A net of massive ropes connects it to the decks below. He stares at those of you in the front row with a twisted grin, poking each of your chests with his cat. You're going to climb up there an' whoever makes it th' fastest is my new rigger, savvy?

Menno follows everyone's gaze as they look up at the rigging. "Simple enough.."

As they move to get started, Menno leans over to Ian and whispers "Full crew would be around 20."

At the command to start, Menno jumps up and starts climbing.

Having watched the captain give his speech, Ian ground his teeth in seething frustration and anger. When the lot of them are hauled in front of the mast, another low growl leaves the redhead's throat. "Aye." Ian whispers in response to Memno, "We'll focus on gettin' a head count." While he climbs with the others, the redhead doesn't really leap into the competition with all his effort, using the opportunity to get a look at the top deck of the ship.

Looks up the rope and takes hold of it and begins to climb

Looking over the ship to see what Jix thinks of it.

As he moves to the rigging, Tobarrus glances down into the water by the ship, hoping to see some trace of his loyal friend swimming by the ship.
Regardless of whether he sees his companion or not, he starts climbing up the rigging. He's not the best climber but it still seems like a good idea to at least try his best