Title: Food...
Author: Lexa
Date: Tue Mar 1 2005

"Y'know," remarks one of the sailors. "That Sivan's rules are all very well, but..."

"Aye. Savin' apple cores? I allus thought th' seeds was poisonous."

"Mm. Tell y'what, though... I think we got rats."

His companion sighs. "How so?"

"That box o' stuff he left out fer folks t'grab a snack? Ain't no-one *I* seen bin in there overnight, an' there's a bunch o'stuff eaten..."

"Crap. Y'know what that means."

A rueful nod. "Aye. Huntin' em out down th' dark end of th' hold."

Title: Lookin' for some Book Learnin'?
Author: Zea
Date: Tue Mar 1 2005

You can't turn around on a ship without hearing some new gossip or news being passed around. There are the crude rumors, the funny ones and some that are actually *gasp* truthful. A couple of sailors were heard as they were repairing some sails.

Sailor 1: I knew once they started bringin' them uppity ones along they'd start pushin' tha' stuff on us.

Sailor 2: I don't know, migh' be nice to be able to read a bit and you cannae tell me tha' you'd like ta know iffn that one-eye cook back in Parnassus wa' robbin' ye blind.

Sailor 1: Who eva' hear of educated sailors anyway? I knows my job and I don' need some Emp'rean tellin' me wha' all them stupid squiggles mean.

Sailor 2: *shrugs* Suit yerself, I's thinkin' I might try me han' at it. I's be thinkin' of ye when you get stuck doin' some thankless job while I's gets to sit somewheres comfy and learn from that pretty birdie.

OOC: For anyone who is interested in some 'book learning', Zea will be offering lessons, as long as it does not interfere with your duties or hers. If you're interested in some RP in this area, be it learning to read and write, or more advanced subjects, don't hesitate to page or @mail. (Reposted because I stuck it on the wrong board the first time.)

Title: Ship Games!
Author: Zea
Date: Wed Mar 2 2005

With nothing but the waters around, the sea can inspire fits of boredom as much as it can inspire a zest for adventure. In an effort to stem that boredom, word is passing around the two ships that a variety of games will be organized.

Sailor 1: I hears tha' the Empy woman is doin' all a this. Guess she's bored already. Frien'a mine back in Parnassus always sai' then birdies got bored easy, always looking fer things ta entertain 'em.

Sailor 2: Hey, I hears there's gonna might be a few coins or other 'prizes' in store fer th' winners. Could do wit' a few meself, fin' a girl te warm me bed in th' next port wit' a couple coins. Bet I can clim' th' riggin faster'n you. I knows I's the quickes' on this ship, even faster than Rat.

Sailor 1: You crazy, mate? I could whup ya so quick you ain't know what hit ya. We'll jus see who'll have a warm bed next port.

Sailor 2: You offerin' a wager then? Speakin' of that, I'll wager a few on that big Empy fellow ta win a contest in strength. Man's as big as a 'rati he is. not natural.

Games of strength and speed will be offered, as well as games of cunning and talent. Those with physical strengths will find themselves tested against other members of their crew and the opposing ship's crew, and even performers and musicians can get in on the fun. Some are already composing songs with lyrics of a questionable sort but sure to be warmly accepted by the crew.

OOC: This weekend we have a variety of games on board the Amarada, with the crew of the Makara invited to join in for the honor of their ship. Games and dates/times will be posted shortly. If you'd like to participate in some fashion, please contact Zea for more info.

Title: Early Morning Fog
Author: Makara Rumors
Date: Thu Mar 3 2005

With the morning sun burning away the layer of fog that hung over the ships just before dawn, some sailors are busy at work, but work also means a chance to gossip, and this morning's report seems to be all the more curious. As two sailors, a mongrel and a Sylvan, climb the rigging to inspect the sails they talk about what they think they saw and heard this morning.

Simeon: Seems a bit sketchy ta me it does. Early mornin', fog hangin' over us. They were up awful early.

Greystorm: I hear he's teachin' bunch a different people in fightin', mebbe it's the only time they kin meet ta train. Tha' big birdie is up all night, watchin' stuff.

Simeon: Tried ta get a good look, but that damned fog made it hard. Wasn' like I was gonna any closer, tha' guy scares me. But I swear I saw wha' I saw. I bet they were fightin'. That uppity birdie woman wen' and slapped him. Look like 'he was aimin' for his face.

Greystorm: That lil thing? She couldn' hit nothing without breakin' her hand. You're crazy.

Simeon: I saws what I saw, and even inna fog ye can hears a slap. Been slapped enough in me own time to know that sound.

Greystorm: Ok, well mebbe she did, maybe she dinnae but that doesn' matter as much as that kiss. Mebbe th' slap was some kina sick love play. Can never tell with them birdies.

Simeon: Kiss? Now yer the crazy one. Be a fool to be tryin' ta kiss the likes a her, even if 'e is bigger tha' the cap'in. I think he attacked her, looked like he lunged right at 'er for tha' slap. They struggled for a bit, they did, I swears to it. Don' wanna know wha' she did to get 'im to back off, but he did, eventually.

Greystorm: Ye'd like that, wouldn' ya, seeing them birdies kill each other? Alright, iffn yer so smart, how do you explain what he yelled at her. Might notta seen the res' of it, but I heard *that* clear as a bell. Betcha Mist' Burke heard it too.

Simeon: Wha', you mean "Examine what you felt! How it felt!" Tyche's tits man, that could mean jus' about anything.

Title: Stowaway Found
Author: Ship Gossip
Date: Thu Mar 3 2005

It seems the mystery of the stolen food may have been solved, but the culprit is not one that anyone expected. A couple members of the Amarada crew discovered a woman, of all things, stowed away in the cargo hold. Details on who the woman is are pretty sketchy and rumors abound, of course. Word is the captain wasn't too happy to hear he had an additional passenger on his ship he hadn't counted on and told those that found her to stick her in the brig until he could figure out what to do with her.

Title: Approaching Raven's Cove
Author: Eos
Date: Tue Mar 8 2005

As the two ships continue their northerly course, talk is beginning to spread among the sailors that have traveled this way before. They are approaching the mongrel town of Raven's Cove, one of the last major ports along the way before reaching the icy shores of the Aesir lands. Those that have been there before are looking forward to a few days on shore while the ships purchase more supplies and possibly do some trading. More than a few men have been anxiously awaiting a visit to the town's notorious Mischievous Mermaid Tavern, saving a few of their well-earned coin to spend on ale and a 'maid' of their own.

OOC Info: The ships will reach Raven's Cove this Thursday, March 10th where we'll remain for a few days for some shore leave, supplies and perhaps some news of the area. Additional information about the town of Raven's Cove will be posted shortly and it will be added to the map on the game's website.

Title: Raven's Cove
Author: Eos
Date: Thu Mar 10 2005

The two ships have sailed into Raven's Cove and docked. Many are excited to get on land again, if only for a few days, and already men are making wagers about how much ale they're drink or how many of the city's 'maids' they'll bed. Pulling into port doesn't mean complete freedom, however. There are goods to be purchased and loaded onto the ships and men are expected to report for their shift duties each day.

OOC Welcome to Raven's Cove! We'll probably be hanging around here through the weekend so enjoy yourselves. If you're interested in speaking with some locals (there are currently two NPCs, Ruarc and Maura, ready to go) please speak with Eos.

Title: Fight at the Mischievous Mermaid!
Author: Ship Gossip
Date: Fri Mar 11 2005

Not even a day had gone by since the Amarada and the Makara found their way to the port of Raven's Cove as word is spreading about the Weapons Master Valens, the Makara's Mage Zea, and their old fashioned bar fight in the Mischievous Mermaid...

Lars: Didja hear 'bout them birdies at the Misch'vous 'maid?

Mitch: Did ah? 'Course I did boy. Ah heard some sail'rs try to ruff up tha' big one and the cap'n's gal at the Tav'n an' them sail'rs got beat bad.

Lars: I saw 'em sail'rs get real beat by tha' big Empy, but th' birdie mage ain't bad eith'r. Whin one of them sail'rs ran up t'th' big'un wit a chair, she di' some of 'er majik, I di' see!

Mitch: Guess she ain't as useless as we believe'd her t'be. Tyche's tits boy, I'm still 'fraid of tha' big sunuva... birdie wheth'r er not she 'elped.

Lars: I dunnae... might've bin a much more interestin' fight if she wasn' there. It was sure o'er quick.

Mitch: How big were them sail'r boys?

Lars: Real big man, real big. One of 'em bigg'r than the big birdie and the oth'r'un just as big... Man, ye shoulda seen how them 'maids looked at 'im after though! Godsdamn! He coulda pick't any of 'em t'bed or...

Mitch: Tha' why he goin' 'bout town wit the cap'n's gal? I means t'say, I 'eard they be kissin' in t'mist t'other day. Or she felt.. got felt up or sumthin' like tha.'

Title: Crazy Man at the Mermaid
Author: Dark Murmurs (Eos)
Date: Sat Mar 19 2005

While the residents of Raven's Cove seem to know the man's rantings well enough, the murmurings of the one they call Ruarc can unnerve travellers and it seems this time is no different. Once a great sailor and captain, Ruarc now spends a good deal of his time in the Mermaid, drinking and spinning tales though every so often he goes back out to sea. Some claim his stories to be truth, or at least have a nugget of truth to them, but others insist the man is a complete loon. Lately the man has been muttering about the north and how harsh it is. To those that have ventured there, such tales are no surprise. But Ruarc has been rambling on about seas of blood, claiming that the rivers oceans of the north are red, not blue and green. He has also been telling tales about how the ice and frozen earth gets up and walks around, that in the north the land itself is alive and dangerous those who do not appease their gods. A couple of ther regulars have teased the old captain, telling him to tell them the story of how he fought back whole tribes of the Aesir, a tale which he gladly tells over and over again, exaggerating the tale with each telling.

The man is obviously completely insane, everyone says so.

Title: The Women are Going Crazy!
Author: Ship Talk
Date: Thu Mar 31 2005

There are some sailors that claim there's no place for a woman on a ship and it seems today that perhaps a couple of the female crewmembers are proving them right. While the two ships were anchored and some of the men were fishing and swimming a couple of the women stood around taking in the sights and doing what women seem to do best: gossip. It seems Lexa, the dark haired mongrel, and Zea, the pale Empyrean, were discussing something rather secretive, for they kept their voices low. All of a sudden they started laughing. Not just laughing at a joke, but tears streaming down the face, falling over themselves laughing. Even when confronted by a couple of the sailors they seemed unable to contain themselves. The only thing anyone was able to catch from the conversation was the word "Splinters" which was said more than once, followed by another bout of laughter and giggles. Now what in Aether could be so funny about splinters?