Captain Lofwyr Illandriel loses his love
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:04 pm
She was stalwart, reliable, quick and at times graceful. He had been with her for years. When he first met her she belonged to another, but he had remained close and loyal and eventually won her heart. But what took years for her took only a moment for Lofwyr. Ever since he first met her, Lofwyr loved Maggie.
He stood proud and tall, swaying up and down on the plank. The waves splashed playfully below, flicking cold briny water at him as though it were just a game. But this was no game. This was the last time Lofwyr would see Maggie and knowing it was constricting his throat tight as a noose. He looked her over lovingly, doing his best to hold back tears. He couldn't have his voice cracking now.
The majestic view of the Pirate Ship Maggie was spoiled by a rotten countenance. An ugly face bulging with strength an malace, dappled with scars white and red. It was a Crowley, a ruthless scoundrel and perpetrator of this mutiny. His raven black hair was greased with oil to hide the speckles of white, and tied back in ratty ponytail. His scowl contorted as he spoke, his angry countenance matched by the hate in his voice.
"Yer a damn coward, and never deserved to be captain," Crowley spat the words out, his vitriol raining onto the dreadlocks of the tied up Pigmy held beside him. Crowley had always been a thorn in Lofwyr's boot, ever since Captain Barnes had made Lofwyr first mate. Crowley had been with the crew for years before the Sun Elf had joined them, but the roughian's crass personality failed to win over Barnes, or enough of the crew to force Barne's respect.
But a golden haired elf came in like a gale, catching the crew and captain up in his love for life and the sea. His singing rallied the men through times good and bad, and when it was time for a new first mate, Barnes had chosen with his heart.
The Pygmy's tore that right out of his chest, Crowley thought with a smile. They had paid their due, but Lofwyr became captain and spared one-- their witch doctor. Who ever heard of a Pigmy sailor!?
But times had been rough in the year Lofwyr had been captain, with their biggest smuggling job dumped to the sea in a chase, and the elf's weak kindness blocking them from some of the juiciest pirating opportunities. It only took a few weeks of convincing and he had the crew ready for new management. Except the loyal Pigmy.
Crowley had a plan for that, and had tricked the Pigmy into betting away most of his best trinkets the night before. With Lofwyr's only staunch supporter weakened, it was a simple task to start the mutiny.
Thinking of Doc broke Lofwyr's wistful thoughts and gave him an idea. "You know Crowley, Umbae is the last of his people, and a holy man among them. Thats a double curse if you kill him. You really want to start your rein as Captain with a double curse?"
Whispers broke out across the men. Being at the mercy of the unpredictable sea made sailors a supersticious bunch, and Umbae had done enough magic to prove he was capable of quite a bit of cursing.
Crowley looked over at the brown skinned runt tied up beside him and shrugged, "Fine. We will loose him on a rowboat and let the sea take him. I think the sea doesn't care much for your curses, eh?" Nods of approval all around. "But not you Elf. You've wasted this crew's time and ruined our profits with yer coward way of runnin things. No, YOU will walk the plank."
Lofwyr looked over to powder barrels and briefly fantasized about a final struggle where he blew the ship to pieces. But no, never. Lofwyr had never loved a woman the way he loved this ship, and he would never blow Maggie up. He truly loved her, enough to let her go on with another at her helm.
Lofwyr felt the lockpick in his palm. He had fished it out of his sleeve despite the ropes binding them, and was already halfway through tearing the cords that bound his hands. "Have it your way Crowley." Lofwyr looked at the crew one last time and smiled. "Good luck to you then. Treat Maggie well."
With that he stepped backward, flinging himself into the cold embrace of the tumbling waves.
It was a full minute before he had his hands free, and his lungs were burning for air. He couldnt go up though... he thought Crowley might order the men to shoot him if he bobbed to the top. He dug into his boot and found it. A small wooden flute shaped like a lung. Umbae had made it for him just a week ago. Was it luck, or did the Pigmy witch doctor know this was coming?
Lofwyr put the flute to his lips and blew. He was afraid he would not have enough breath left to activate it, but after a moment a bubble of air grew out of the flute and warped itself over Lofwyr's head. It grew until it was a few inches out from his face then stopped. His lungs screamed for air, but he had not used this trinket before and was afraid a deep gasping breath would pop the bubble. He slowly and carefully took in a sip of air. The bubble deformed but did not pop. Finally he filled his lungs and sighed. He did not realize how close he was to the long sleep until his vision cleared.
He began the laborious swim up toward the surface but held back, keeping out of sight. The bubble lasted longer than Lofwyr expected, and by the time he was forced to surface, Maggie was far into the distance, her Sails billowing gracefully in the wind.
"Eh-eh! We gots you Cahpitan!" Umbae shouted from a dozen meters behind Lofwyr. The dimunitive Pigmy waved and Lofwyr swam over and lifted himself aboard the rowboat.
"No paddles Umbae? Damn Crowley." Lofwyr shook his hair, salty water spraying about.
"No matter Cahpitan. We gots da spirits wit us, we do!"
The sun did not even set before a ship found them and took them aboard. More Pigmy magic, or just good old fashioned luck?
Three days later they stepped into a busy port. "I will miss her Doc. I prefer the sea to Baldur's Gate, but for two fortune seeking water-dogs saving up for a new ship, there is no better place to be. Comon, I smell opportunity on the winds!"
Umbae bobbed his head in agreement and his dreads clinked with bones and wood. The industrious witch doctor had already begun creating new trinkets and working his Voo Doo on them. He would would be strong with spirit magic again in no time. "Aye Cahpitan, da spirits be smilin at we!"
He stood proud and tall, swaying up and down on the plank. The waves splashed playfully below, flicking cold briny water at him as though it were just a game. But this was no game. This was the last time Lofwyr would see Maggie and knowing it was constricting his throat tight as a noose. He looked her over lovingly, doing his best to hold back tears. He couldn't have his voice cracking now.
The majestic view of the Pirate Ship Maggie was spoiled by a rotten countenance. An ugly face bulging with strength an malace, dappled with scars white and red. It was a Crowley, a ruthless scoundrel and perpetrator of this mutiny. His raven black hair was greased with oil to hide the speckles of white, and tied back in ratty ponytail. His scowl contorted as he spoke, his angry countenance matched by the hate in his voice.
"Yer a damn coward, and never deserved to be captain," Crowley spat the words out, his vitriol raining onto the dreadlocks of the tied up Pigmy held beside him. Crowley had always been a thorn in Lofwyr's boot, ever since Captain Barnes had made Lofwyr first mate. Crowley had been with the crew for years before the Sun Elf had joined them, but the roughian's crass personality failed to win over Barnes, or enough of the crew to force Barne's respect.
But a golden haired elf came in like a gale, catching the crew and captain up in his love for life and the sea. His singing rallied the men through times good and bad, and when it was time for a new first mate, Barnes had chosen with his heart.
The Pygmy's tore that right out of his chest, Crowley thought with a smile. They had paid their due, but Lofwyr became captain and spared one-- their witch doctor. Who ever heard of a Pigmy sailor!?
But times had been rough in the year Lofwyr had been captain, with their biggest smuggling job dumped to the sea in a chase, and the elf's weak kindness blocking them from some of the juiciest pirating opportunities. It only took a few weeks of convincing and he had the crew ready for new management. Except the loyal Pigmy.
Crowley had a plan for that, and had tricked the Pigmy into betting away most of his best trinkets the night before. With Lofwyr's only staunch supporter weakened, it was a simple task to start the mutiny.
Thinking of Doc broke Lofwyr's wistful thoughts and gave him an idea. "You know Crowley, Umbae is the last of his people, and a holy man among them. Thats a double curse if you kill him. You really want to start your rein as Captain with a double curse?"
Whispers broke out across the men. Being at the mercy of the unpredictable sea made sailors a supersticious bunch, and Umbae had done enough magic to prove he was capable of quite a bit of cursing.
Crowley looked over at the brown skinned runt tied up beside him and shrugged, "Fine. We will loose him on a rowboat and let the sea take him. I think the sea doesn't care much for your curses, eh?" Nods of approval all around. "But not you Elf. You've wasted this crew's time and ruined our profits with yer coward way of runnin things. No, YOU will walk the plank."
Lofwyr looked over to powder barrels and briefly fantasized about a final struggle where he blew the ship to pieces. But no, never. Lofwyr had never loved a woman the way he loved this ship, and he would never blow Maggie up. He truly loved her, enough to let her go on with another at her helm.
Lofwyr felt the lockpick in his palm. He had fished it out of his sleeve despite the ropes binding them, and was already halfway through tearing the cords that bound his hands. "Have it your way Crowley." Lofwyr looked at the crew one last time and smiled. "Good luck to you then. Treat Maggie well."
With that he stepped backward, flinging himself into the cold embrace of the tumbling waves.
It was a full minute before he had his hands free, and his lungs were burning for air. He couldnt go up though... he thought Crowley might order the men to shoot him if he bobbed to the top. He dug into his boot and found it. A small wooden flute shaped like a lung. Umbae had made it for him just a week ago. Was it luck, or did the Pigmy witch doctor know this was coming?
Lofwyr put the flute to his lips and blew. He was afraid he would not have enough breath left to activate it, but after a moment a bubble of air grew out of the flute and warped itself over Lofwyr's head. It grew until it was a few inches out from his face then stopped. His lungs screamed for air, but he had not used this trinket before and was afraid a deep gasping breath would pop the bubble. He slowly and carefully took in a sip of air. The bubble deformed but did not pop. Finally he filled his lungs and sighed. He did not realize how close he was to the long sleep until his vision cleared.
He began the laborious swim up toward the surface but held back, keeping out of sight. The bubble lasted longer than Lofwyr expected, and by the time he was forced to surface, Maggie was far into the distance, her Sails billowing gracefully in the wind.
"Eh-eh! We gots you Cahpitan!" Umbae shouted from a dozen meters behind Lofwyr. The dimunitive Pigmy waved and Lofwyr swam over and lifted himself aboard the rowboat.
"No paddles Umbae? Damn Crowley." Lofwyr shook his hair, salty water spraying about.
"No matter Cahpitan. We gots da spirits wit us, we do!"
The sun did not even set before a ship found them and took them aboard. More Pigmy magic, or just good old fashioned luck?
Three days later they stepped into a busy port. "I will miss her Doc. I prefer the sea to Baldur's Gate, but for two fortune seeking water-dogs saving up for a new ship, there is no better place to be. Comon, I smell opportunity on the winds!"
Umbae bobbed his head in agreement and his dreads clinked with bones and wood. The industrious witch doctor had already begun creating new trinkets and working his Voo Doo on them. He would would be strong with spirit magic again in no time. "Aye Cahpitan, da spirits be smilin at we!"