westwhere | no man's sea

Avast ye — sprawling til 18 June is part I of the Storm at Sea travel arc, which doubles as a test drive. Participants don’t need an invite to reserve or apply over 10-17 June.

Try to label if you’re a test drive tourist or an old timer — and don’t hesitate to leave an OOC note to opt out of random NPC piraaaaaaaargh interaction. Test drivers can post both log and network prompts. Have fun!

NO MAN’S SEA

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AHOY! SCALLYWAGS

Departing Ke-Waihu, the existing party joins paranoid pirate king, turned stalwart saint Samuel Vane — the feared Quicksilver Sam — aboard the Pariah.

Test drivers awaken anguishing at sea, floating on rafts, or on minuscule patches of deserted land. They are collected by two pirates and the recalcitrant sorceress Karsa — who supplies translation and communication devices. She explains the newcomers were summoned into the land of Akhuras by warring undead factions. Karsa’s master, the elusive Merchant, ferries newcomers east to beacons hoped to return them home. He has secured them passage on the pirate vessel Queen Zanyra of ’Wet Rope’ Caladan Kreil, an associate of Quicksilver Sam.

The Pariah and Zanyra meet at sea, a day’s travel away from Ke-Waihu:

■ Characters overhear that Quicksilver Sam seeks to reach the haunted Crossing Seas and ‘settle an old score.’ Long-term ally Caladan Kreil supports his cause.

■ The two vessels make daily supply and crew exchanges by rowboat. The Pariah’s passengers must give the passcode: flaunted like gold to board the Queen Zanyra. Staff of the Queen Zanyra must speak the words before the blind man to access the Pariah. Forget your passcode and fall at the mercy of whoever patrols the decks!

■ Tasks await all passengers: diligently clean and polish decks, climb tall masts to sew torn sails, banish a preposterous number of seagulls, fish, read post or… dubious novels to sailors, count loot, guard the decks, clean cannons or serve as boat lure for shark fishing. Medics and cooks can practise their natural trades, while musicians and entertainers should amuse the crew.

■ By all means, grab thematic garments from crew coffers. Also available: daggers, swords and rare pistols.

■ Characters may notice both ship crews are spirited, but grow weary when Quicksilver Sam fitfully orders his five on-call priests to carry out protection rites, or to ‘exorcise’ evil from random staff — through ineffective bitter potions, shrill chants and requests to sit in unusual luck-incurring poses, or to commit some mundane, repetitive task. Let’s bore the devil away.

■ Treat senior crew with respect: some pirates are equally drunk on rum and fleetingly authority and reward perceived slights with a 24h-stay in the brig. These fine accommodations fit two and annul powers while there. No dinner.

■ Sleep where you can: hammocks and rotting mattresses can be found in great common halls beneath decks. The sick and women (naturally, ill omens at sea) can share the four private cabins of each ship. Sumeragi Subaru has his own cabin aboard the Pariah.

■ Each night, expect drinking beneath the halls and a pirate’s greatest hobby: gambling. Conmen might lure you into an ‘innocent game’ that sinks you deep into debt, winning your valuables, favours, or kidney!

■ Ladies are afforded a wide, begrudging berth and some authority over the crew.

■ Accommodations: fresh potions are readily available to ward off sea sickness, and magically resilient oranges are on hand to counter scurvy. As woe would have it, the long-serving Mr. Ishmael has passed, and his earthly remains have been retained aboard the Pariah for Kaneki Ken. Viktor receives a leashed emotional support albatross — a large, loud but docile bird that flies above him counter-current to balance him, whenever the ship’s sway threatens his footing.

OBJECTIVES

■ Discover why good Quicksilver Sam is intent on his haunted travels. The captain declines audiences, but try to get information from the two crews.

■ Please share the information gained via network…!

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THAT SON OF A BISCUIT EATER

Trouble starts to brew, within days at sea:

■ Be on the lookout while on watch duty: on a handful of occasions, new faces appear aboard. They fail to offer the passcode — and attempt to injure characters, throw them overboard, or to enter the captains’ lodgings. Sound the alarm or seize intruders!

■ After interrogating an infiltrator, Caladan Kreil sends word that the assailants hail from the Concord, a war vessel of the Dawns’ Reach Trade Company that is pursuing the pirate ships at distance under the command of Maximilian Hawk. A credit to his name, Wet Rope Caladan has the spy hanged.

■ Prepare to get drafted for double watch duty, as both Caladan Kreil and Quicksilver Sam bolster defences. Tensions escalate, with pirate crew questioning the loyalties of newer recruits.

■ A few days later, at dawns, the silent, swift and massive Concord approaches close enough to fire its cannons at both ships and send vicious militia to climb aboard. Defend your ship!

■ The Concord withdraws by midday, after lightly damaging its opponents. Help with repairs and enjoy some rum — you’ve survived your first sea scuffle!

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MOLLYWICK

Just short of entering the Crossing, where the seas are dark and highly opaque, the Queen Zanyra and Pariah encounter a stretch of vibrant, lushly forested land.

■ Both vessels send crew over for a few hours, with captains urging quick incursions. Pair up to collect berries, scant mushrooms and sweet water. Curiously, no animals are found.

■ Veteran sailors say this is the Neverflight isle of myth, where sea kings have buried their treasures. Pirates share legendary coordinates of long lost loot, archived as riddles or poems. Grab a shovel and a-digging you go!

■ …ah, but don’t linger too long. What pranksters your sailor friends are. Within hours of the island’s appearance, the earth beneath your feet crumbles and quakes, and the land starts to sink. Evacuate or call for help to get out of here — as the great white whale Mollywick submerges in the waters with the Neverflight island it carries on its back. Hopefully, you don’t go under with them.

■ If you’ve threaded out a treasure dig, drop a line to receive some especially deplorable loot. You deserve it.

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THE CROSSING

The Pariah and Queen Zanyra — frequently chained together to avoid separation — creep into the Crossing : a stretch of eerily silent waters, dark and volatile.

■

■ Slowly, a thick, nearly impregnable fog dawns during the day, covering the sun and leaving the skies a desolate slate. Dreadful storms spark at night.

■ Strange, talking carps jump on board, offering to tell you your future. Caution: they only make bad luck readings (request yours) that turn true. They appear wherever their target flees and are exceptionally annoying, until either the moon rises, or you apply the superstitious cure of throwing salt on them.

■ Nightmares haunt you — your own, or glimpsed memories of ships crashing, sinking, falling to storm. Note: only your character suffers these memories/nightmares, but everyone else can experience their exhausted grumpiness, come morning.

■ Be wary, when pairing to cross over to the other pirate ship: you may find another rowboat beside yours, its sailor begging for an oar or ladle. If you give him one, he shovels water into your boat with inhuman speed — desert your vessel and swim quickly to a pirate ship, before undead hands pull you into the sea.

■ While alone on deck, characters might hear sweet, coaxing voices that urge them to walk the plank into the water. Break your brethren from this spell, or watch them fall into the arms of man-eating mermaids.

■ Now and then, the ships are shaken by long, whips of something lashing from the depths.

■ Pirates become increasingly skittish and on edge. Priests perform countless protection rites and exorcisms on both ships.

■ At night, a handful of undead men climb aboard. They lack awareness and are in a clear state of discomposure, looking to catch the living and drown them. With toothless, rotting mouths, some rasp, This is kinder.

■ As you officially enter the Crossing, beams of light erupt in the horizon, showing the distant silhouettes of several ghost ships.

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NOTES

TEST DRIVE QUESTIONS

OLD-TIMER QUESTIONS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A. AHOY! SCALLYWAGS -- Part A

[Oona's presence aboard the ship(s) is like they've taken in a wounded, feral animal that shows teeth whenever someone comes near. From the matting of scars along her neck and body, to the fact that she appears to be wearing only a pair of too-big black pants and a ripped up labcoat, leaving her bare chested and unafraid, most of the pirates seem reluctant to go near her for reasons other than being clearly female. She's been wandering everywhere, but seems to walk as if every step is terribly painful to her.

Oona stalks about, narrowing eyes and looking sneering and disgruntled at anyone human they see, but she seems perfectly happy to lean over the edge and watch the sea go by, looking nostalgically out across the waters.

Unless someone gets too close, in which case she full-body flinches and backs away, baring her teeth like an animal]

Who?! Who says you come near?! Tch! Go 'way! Stupid human, always where not wanted...

[She seems more bark than bite though, at least, as she winces as she turns to face whoever's approached]

B. AHOY! SCALLYWAGS -- Part B

[Though Oona doesn't particularly want to help, she's reluctantly had to admit that surviving seems prudent right now. Unfortunately.]

Tch. Lower me to the water! Useless.

[She sniffs derisively and makes a big deal about how annoying she finds this all.

Once near the water, though, however she's lowered down, she touches the surface and begins to sing. The water stirs and within a few minutes the fishing nets are all but full before Oona climbs back up to the ship deck]

Hmph, do not expect it again!

C. THE CROSSING -- Part A

[These talking carp things are annoying, but hey, food is food!

...Wait, what?? Yeah. As a carp continues speaking, trying to entice Oona to ask for her fortune, Oona has adopted an unimpressed expression while, uh.... eating it alive. She doesn't even bother to cook it, just biting into it raw and chewing it up. The carp itself seems not to notice nor care about it predicament, continue to call not only to Oona, but now anyone else in the vicinity for a fortune.

Oona continues to munch on its body and watch the water like this isn't the most disturbing thing in the world.]

D. THE CROSSING - Part B

[So some poor NPC has been lured by a mermaid, oh no! He walks the length of the plank, straining to listen to the sweet singing voices, when Oona appears!

Oh good, someone is going to save him, so clearly you don't have to get involved, except... Uh. Oona pushes him.

Yep, right into the water he splashes, only to be dragged under moments later to be devoured by the mermaids. Oona looks delighted, laying down on her stomach to get a better look at them]

Is good? Ah, welcome, welcome! We sing together soon, yes? Enjoy!

( Ayyyeeee, but life at sea's a mystery and a blessing and a curse, and you thank the good Lord each day for what He gives you. Water can't be rushed, and more fool he who thinks, well, there's'em mermaids, and well, you make loud with your buckos, you belay'em.

Truth is, they come, they go, and they was here before you. Same for the girl, the little strange thing, and look'ere, and second mate Mr. Eames is certainly squinting — she's gone and dropped ole Cod overboard. Blimey.

Them others are feeding below, Cod's screaming going down, screaming when he lands, screaming with all the might of him, for all he was barely twigs and skin and that mean, mean, look, whenever he won at the betting table (too often for any honest man). God save his soul, but Mr. Eames removes his hat and holds it to his chest in respect for the dying. Then, he murmurs to the girl, preening: )

...owed'im half a month's wage at cards, me.

( So, perhaps Mr. Eames isn't the most concerned that ole Cod's gone kicked the bucket. Can't be blamin'im. And he'll say a prayer all the same.)

[Oona sits up on her knees and blinks slowly, looking from him to the reddened waters below]

...Huh. [She mutters, not entirely sure if she should take this as a good thing or not. She gets up and walks, wincing a little, back to the ship proper, leaning against the side of it to take some of the pressure off her legs]

Then, you are welcome. Keep wages now. [She nods, because that's the better thing to pay attention to, right?? Focus on the positive!]

( There's a moment, long and strained, when Mr. Eames seems faintly undecided — as if morals have paid him a quaint little visit and found his abode untidy.

Can't be having that, him. Not him. Then, carefully: )

Be gettin' you a fine frock for your trouble. ( Ain't as if they're in cahoots, wasn't Mr. Eames who pointed her down ole Cod's path, but he looks at her, squinting, then at the waters, then the bubbling of mermaids below, how they be hungering, and, well.

Well. )

...got me s'more who owe me coin. ( Could be makin' an enterprise of it. ) If I's to... call'em over...?

[oh, it's like that is it? Oona narrows her eyes, a cat-like smile growing on her face.]

Ahh yes, yes, understand. And, if they are fed well, will not kill. [probably. That'd just be a waste at that point, right??] Will make waters safer. Is good thing. All win!

[She shoves herself up to sit on the edge, drawing herself up some]

Come, come! Tell them pretty Oona is waiting. Will be fun!

( ...sure, be that water safer and the ship well, and would you look at that, blimey? Mr. Eames is helping the Queen Zanyra along, by satisfying the good wishes of his own coin purse. Who'd have thought?

It must be Godly and as the good Lord be wantin', for why else would all align to support him, why else would nothing rise to darken Mr. Eames' path? It's clear, this lass and him, they be doing God's own work, and so Mr. Eames nods along with fresh enthusiasm: )

No need t'be tellin'em much. You just... carry on with the waiting. You like it, don't ye? Marooned here, without yer games, this keeps you nice and busy. And you don't mean the killin', aye, only just what happens. These things, they be happening.

( Well.

...well, then. Cannibalism, vore, sheer and utter cruelty, a slap in the pristine face of culinary tradition — it isn't that Shi Qingxuan is petrified by the prospect of a... fish... consuming... a conversational, linguistically fluent fish... only, that, really, as he crouches down in the absurd nest of his silks to peer intently at close enough of a distance that water from the trashing fish's tail hits his mouth — )

AHAHAHHAHAAHAA, are you just, aren't you a little, isn't this a bit... it's JUST TO SAY, are you this HUNGRY???

( If you ask Shi Qingxuan, the young miss may wish to consider consuming (moon)cake. But then, on the same gently liberal crescendo, bearing a modest similarity to eighty-nine sharpened scratching a feline post: )

UM, shouldn't you have just SEASONED IT a little???? HOW ABOUT some Yu Zhu or RED DATES?

( The fish, notably, seems to squirm and suffocate in admirable agreement. )

[Oona's chewing slows, and even the fish seems a bit thrown off by Shy Qingxuan's outburst as it falls silent. They both stare, Oona's brows furrowed a little.]

...Is fish. Like fish. [She says, slow, everything slow like perhaps this person just doesn't get it. Maybe they're also a little slow on the uptake and if Oona speaks and moves slowly enough, they can meet somewhere in the middle.]

Like it raw. Natural. What is 'Yu Zhu'? [Despite what she says she's always down for something to make food taste better, even if her informant is a weirdo like this]

no man's sea

Oona | OC | Tourist

the crossing | mermaids

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the crossing | a, dear God

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