ROFL! Ye already be in full character I see. Fine. Ye be right, Devin be good for this. Be warned, Captain Aylar does not take shenanigans lightly if they threaten Crew camaraderie.

To the Crew - Meet Devin of Moonsea, Half-elf, a bit of a rascal and an old friend from several campaigns B and I ran, as well as a member of a renaissance theatrical group we were once part of. Argy, he's fair game for those hugs of yours. A flirt, but he would never hurt a lady intentionally unless she deserves it in his mind (enemy, evil, intentionally malicious).

Welcome to the Crew, Devin! (We'll see when exactly to bring you aboard.)

Congrats on surviving finals. The Most Current Action Results posts linked in Post 3 of the thread would be the best bet on catching up on everything past your own Dragon Turtle Eggs results. They're still long, but pretty much bring together all the various player posts in more summarized form.

Chapter Four - Siren Song (Interim Break)

The portal took the Crew back to the seaglass building on the Dragon Turtle's island. The storm had ended, but they could see where it had been massive. The storm might be over, but there was something wrong, like a world suspended in a hush, they all felt it. Aylar felt an emptiness, a quiet where he had become used to there being a presence - both in the Ship, and in his link to Clíodhna.

Bellandra could sense the sorrow of her kin. She reached out to them and got responses from Pearl, the Mermaid; Finn, the Seahorse; and Zephyr, the Griffin. But there was an underlying sadness to each, and she did not hear from the Penguin. Zephyr came to pick up Captain Aylar, telling Bellandra that he was needed aboard. As the Griffon took to the air, Aylar got his first look at the devastation.

The Crew saw it once they could overlook the lagoon and what they saw there spoke to a fierce battle. The water was stained with blood and strewn with the flotsam of ships raised from the graveyard as well as those they saw which must have been sent from the DRM fleet. It was apparent a tsunami or rogue wave had smashed into the reef and enemy fleet. Water, and some smouldering of fiendfyre, but no phoenix fire and no immolation, Aylar noted. From what he had read the reef would have been annihilated along with the Ship and even the Dragon Turtle would have been heavily singed. The Ship was still there, looking mostly whole, but also far too still and quiet, the spectral energies they had all become so used to barely visible at all. By the Ship's sides were two ghostly ships, bracketing it. As they watched one of those ships unfurled sails to tack back out towards the reef passage and faded from view. The other ship awaited them as the Crew took the longboat back.

The female captain of the other ship saluted him as Aylar landed on deck and dismounted the griffon. "The Ship be yers, Captain Aylar. The phantom crew indicate the Ship was able to be lifted and rode out the wave that stuck the enemy, but not without loss. Bhrigu has departed aboard another ship, called to another fate. My crew and I will assist ye in any way possible. The Felinoid here seems to be trying to tell us something, mayhaps ye can figure it."

Cap'n Rummyfangs ran to Captain Aylar and pointed up. Then the Felinoid ran to the bow looking up, then the stern, then the forecastle and showed his claws, then sheathed them. He dashed to the quarterdeck frantically, claws carefully sheathed and arms out in a furious hurry, then seemed to catch something - stared in shock and surprise, looked around and down at his invisible 'catch' with a very worried look, then clawed at his heart. Finally he threw his arms open looking around then to Aylar and shrugged showing empty paws and looking concerned and actually scared. Again, Rummyfangs pointed to a certain spot on the quarterdeck, put his paws out, claws sheathed, 'caught' something, then claws to the heart, empty paws, looking around, shrug. Rummyfangs looked a bit lost, as if he expected Aylar to know what to do. [via PM]

As she set foot upon the deck of the Ship, Bellandra felt a silence where there hadn't been one before, and a sense of not quite lifelessness, as if something vital was no longer aboard the Ship with them. What did become apparent to them was Clíodhna was nowhere to be found.

When Argy entered the galley she saw Sensei, the old Felinoid cook. He was chopping herbs, or trying to. He finally just dropped the knife entirely and looked at her, tears welling in his eyes before letting out a long low moan that went straight to her heart with the sorrow in his soul. Dinner was a somber one.

The Dragon Turtle had finally released Kyp and her eggs once Captain Aylar had returned to the Ship and she deemed it safe enough. Kyp stored the eggs and decided to bring up the quest and where they needed to be taken after the Captain had dealt with the other things on his mind. He didn't really look like he wanted to be disturbed with another quest just yet. Maybe tomorrow, after things were more settled.

Midnight came and members of the phantom crew gathered at the bow, but the starlight was dimmer somehow and didn't reflect in the water at the bow anymore. Bellandra saw them and once again felt the silence where there had always been an underlying something to her senses before.

-----
The next morning after breakfast the Crew gathered in the Great Cabin by order of Captain Aylar. Aeshma sat to his right with a still shocked Refyx beside her and the phantom female captain they had seen before when first boarding the Ship, who Aylar now knew as Captain Jac, was to his left, looking very serious.

The birds had come that morning, and Aeshma had met them at the bow. Not being able to talk to them like Clíodhna could, however, she could only take the bits of paper they brought, but the tale it told was grim indeed. It turned out that the Crew's time and plane jumping and time in the Weirding had meant they had been gone from 'this world' for twelve days. Days during which the Aboleth's minions had not been idle.

The birds had brought news. They had been noticed, and now orders were being given and notices and wanted posters were drawn up for most of them, although some of the drawings didn't appear entirely accurate to some of the Crew. Baldbeard was sure his nose was too big and his beard too small, Gilius had too long a beard, Argy's hair was fluffed, Bellandra looked more like a doll, the Count was drawn dressed foppishly and Durik was drawn without Dakka, and nobody thought Pugwash's looked like him at all and his name had somehow become Washpug. Kyp wasn't mentioned at all, but Mighty and his claw were. The enemy now knew four captains had sailed with the Ship. Aylar was wanted for sure, and Karnstein also, and it was apparent they were looking for the other two.

They were a marked Crew now, and most ports were dangerously closed to them. The Free port they had sailed from had also been invaded and taken over, put under the command of Commodore Beckett, the commander that had escaped the Fortress, now made a commodore. Any family ties that could be determined were being investigated. They had no idea how the people they had known there may have fared, but it seemed that Captain Radaggarb's smugglers may have snuck some people out just in time. Monkey Island and the Dragon Turtle island were open to them, but other than that there would be few places in this sea that would be safe for them now.

Captain Aylar distributed the loot of 3 gold, 9 silver, 9 pieces of 8 to each crew member, but kept back the items from the Fate Temple until they better knew what they would be facing in the future. (next mission)

(Continued below ...)

(... continued from above.)

The Ship was also going to need repairs. The physical ones they could find a place and do, but for the heart of the Ship and its energies, Aylar wasn't sure how to fix that. He was still looking over the charts Captain Jac was showing him indicating some open ports in other seas they could limp to when the Siren's Shell was dropped onto the table in front of him.

Circeana sprang from the shell, looking at the gathered crew, and smirked at Argy. "No offense, cookie, but he never even knew what you were after. You might want to up your game and go to charm school or something ... not that he ever would have looked at you with me around anyway."

Then she turned and her eyes focused on Aylar. "Aylar," she smiled, her voice low and seductive. Her eyes went to his empty shoulder and her smile widened. "No birdy?" The siren almost purred. "No bird, and no Grog'tial ... just you and I, as it should be." She moistened her lips and caught the bottom one between her teeth before confessing in a winsome voice. "He wanted me to help him against you. I wouldn't do it. But now the bird is gone, dead and you can have me instead." She reached out enticingly to try to touch him, but something in his eyes stopped her.

Aeshma dropped her jaw, then closed it and fumed. "She's not dead."

"You don't know that, witch," the siren snapped.

"Actually, I do. The Ship's still here, and the Captain's still sane."

Circeana ignored her and pouted prettily. "You're not alone, Aylar. I've been cursed too! The Bruja said she could break the curse if I agreed to do this. But how should I know if she'd keep her word, or be able to do it at all? She was a Bruja, allied to some stupid undead parrot. I didn't know the damn undead parrot was a phoenix! A phoenix who couldn't even break her own curse at that. The Aboleth promised he could force the Sea Hag to free me, she's one of his, the same Sea Hag who cursed you!" She looked at Aylar imploringly. "All I had to do was to go along with the Bruja, then influence my holder into getting close to the parrot, so I could pass along some information and maybe get my holder to sneak aboard an item or two, and set it up so that the parrot and the ship got where it wanted them to be."

She smiled at Aylar again, sweetly. "Then I felt your curse and I knew it was the same Sea Hag. I thought maybe ..." she paused at the look on his face. "But you wouldn't even look at me! Then you went and broke your curse and the damn parrot's too!" the Siren pouted again, angrily this time. "You broke a curse for HER, why not me? I didn't let Grog'tial use me against you. I was the one who saved you on the griffon, YOU, not him. You own ME! Your pretty bird is gone! It's got her now. Stupid bird, if she just gave it what it wanted this wouldn't have happened!"

"I knew it. I warned him," Refyx muttered as it finally became apparent the siren had just confessed to the whole Crew who had been behind so many things all along.

-----
Later that afternoon, after things had calmed down a bit, Captain Jac went to talk to Captain Aylar in his cabin with Aeshma. "They will most likely want to assign you a new Guide, Captain," she said in low voice.

"We don't need one!" Aeshma responded quickly. "She's not dead."

"I would agree, but it was her ethereal form, and even so ..." the phantom captain replied, "she is not here, and we have no idea when, or if, she can ..."

"She's not dead and she's not 'gone' either. If she was he'd be a raging magickal maniac by now," Aeshma said nodding toward Aylar. "I wasn't joking before. They're bonded. The Captain can Call her to him."

"That would take a considerable working to ..."

"He's done it before, I was there," Aeshma said steadily. "He has what he needs." She turned and looked at Aylar. "You called her before. I didn't say anything then, I really wasn't sure at first, but I am now. You Called, and she Answered and came. You aren't a mage and shouldn't have been able to do it, but the fact is it happened. It must have been the strength of the magick in that place and the breaking of those bindings on you both transformed into a different one that formed on your intent and was accepted by you both, unknowingly or not. You Called her over that mechanism, which might have woven that link between the times and planes too. I'm betting you both usually know where each other are when you're not plane hopping, and even that might come in time. You know each other's underlying feelings too, don't you, and it's been getting stronger. If I'm right you Called a familiar bond, and that means you can Call her back. Somehow they damaged her connection to the Ship that would have tethered her ethereal form here, but you are now another tether and she probably doesn't realize it yet. You should be able to Call her to you." She eyed his Phoenix Charm. "You have what you need to do it. At least try."

-----
That evening Aeshma had Captain Baldbeard come by her shop and gave him a charmed comb for his beard. To his amazement as he combed his beard it grew back in complete and luxurious again. Aeshma smiled at his delight. Then she took off the single small golden feather from one of her feather earrings and gave it to him with tears in her eyes. "You said you and your sharks can find anyone. Take it. Find her, please. I know she's still out there, somewhere," she whispered with a break in her voice. "Please, Captain Baldbeard, help me find her."

-----
The aboleth slithered along the specialized hold made just for it and watched as his minions chained his prize to hang from the mast where he could watch and gloat. So, the Ship sailed with four captains aboard did it? It wouldn't help. Unknown what happened to the fourth along the way, but it damn well knew what was going to happen to that Fae! The dwarf captain was of no concern, no magick or extraordinary skill it could discern there. The Count was an interesting character, however. They would inevitably turn to him next, not knowing, perhaps, his true underlying character. How did the Ship allow him on board with her, anyway? Ah, of course, that bit of her in his veins now. Perhaps the Count would be amenable to bringing him the Ship without too much trouble. It would have to seem to be after him as well, but his servants would be instructed to fail while other overtures were made. The figurehead female would also have to be reacquired, and after it had what memories it needed from her, purged and refitted. No use wasting good material and magick.

It had a servant magickally strike her awake and seethed again as that servant was lashed backwards. How? How was she doing this? It didn't understand. What was this magick? Everything it tried now turned on it. The magicakal drain it had attached to her had at first rebounded on him, then proceeded to take out the servants that tried it. She was now bound to her mortal form, it should be able to do as it wished, but again it was stymied. Its wrath for the Crew and that Fae knew no bounds. They had taken the Denuvo, lost it the Necromancer and the cursed gold and slagged its Fortress. It had lost its supply of the mind controlling fungus and the sorceress that knew how to develop it, the Dragon Turtle and the Undead Sea Dragon. Then they had cost it the temple, and had somehow destroyed its portal access to it and the seas and escaped, but not for long. No, not for long. Its minions would hunt them down and it would force her to watch it turn them one by one until she gave in. But nothing she did was going to save that blasphemous Fae!

=======
GM NOTE: This is the interim break. Have a happy Holiday Season for most of you. Part 2 should hopefully start sometime next year, probably after my eye surgeries late January.
Feel free to post your character's reactions to events and to role play your character. The Crew is now marked as Wanted and pursued. The Free port you sailed from is now closed to you and outside of Monkey Island and the Dragon Turtle Island, no place is safe in this current sea for the Ship and Crew. You may have your character stay aboard Ship for the interim, or decide to go have adventures and post about them. Some of you may not return for Part 2, and this interim pursuit of the Crew is a way to have your character's 'disappearance' be explained and possibly brought back for the very last Mission of the game. Have fun with this, and I hope you've enjoyed the experience so far. You've been a Great Crew! :)

Kyp says: "Man... no wanted poster... figures... no girl would likely want me anyways... I guess that has it's advantages though, because you have no idea who has interest in you and wants you so badly they put up posters for you."

"Durik sad me couldn't defeat Ablet" - he sighed, while shooting the snake trapped inside Dakka towards a wall, before risking another incident on the ship.

Then he tried to reassure Aylar: "Me tinks fire bird alive, my mum told me that fenix never really ded forever."

"Speakin' of moter, me should visit her again. But now me wanted and Dakka heavy, won't be easy."

--

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the crew!
And thanks J for the game and the giveaway :)

Congratulations everyone for making it this far, and thank you J for the story. This was much more elaborated that I initially would be. You put so much time and effort in writing all of this story, there is so much involvement from you, you deserve a nice rest and happy holidays !

See you soon in january !

Welcome aboard Devin !

Meanwhile, Gilius sleeps deeply a well earned rest in a blanket, rocked in Rocky's arm.

Count Karnstein was very glad to be back on the surface, even though at the end they didn't get what they came for. His mood worsened soon, when he saw aftermath of apparent battle and storm, and he shook his head slowly. "Exactly like I said."
At least they didn't have to kick any sea scum overboard, though disappearance of phoenix was probably worse news overall. On the bright side - Ship was still there.

He spent most of the night alternately thinking of the images scrying bowl show him and convincing himself how ridiculous it is to think of "such hogwash".

During the meeting in Great Cabin, Count has spoken:
"Listen, I had a lifelong allergy to so called "honest work", an' I sure as 'ell 'ave no bloody idea 'bout this whole phoenix business an' magic stuff, but mayhaps I could still be useful in some way in our current situation. Y'see, I just 'appen to know certain dwarf, proper bloody maestro when it comes to all sorts o' woodworkin', who wouldnae refuse me a favor. So, if there is a need fer any special replacement parts 'n' whatnot, I could pay him a visit. Maybe even bring the bugger 'ere, 'cause, no offense, but I'm not convinced any of ye gives the impression of a master carpenter. Of course first I'd 'ave to catch a ship sailin' in the direction o' the city, but I think I saw some smugglers on the Monkey Island last time."

Kyp after spending some time pondering the wanted posters realized that these wanted posters are not from lovers, but some kind of foul bounty board!

Coming to this realization he is even more upset he does not have a wanted poster, because surely Kyp was worthy of being known as apart of the crew.

It is because you have kept a low profile and not really been seen much. Which is great if the Crew need someone to send swimming in as a spy to get info. ;)

Her lovely gift and desperate eyes had Captain Baldbeard for all the world wanting to help her, so he took the feather from her and inhaled deeply of its scents. He was overcome with all the old and new scents he picked up, as well as a startling realisation. "Yes, she is not lost to us, I have no doubt. And we will find her! I owe her that much and so much more"

======
Thanks bjgamer for the incredible amount of effort you put into this, and apologies again for so often abandoning you and my crew to IRL issues! Looking forward to the continuation.

When arriving to the ship, Argy goes to the encounter of Kyp and hugs him. His solo quest, although inadverted, also had its importance.
She brings a special gift for him as a reward (Sorry, I just saw this screenshot and couldn't avoid posting it...)

After returning to the ship, she passes the hours distracted in the kitchen or taking an occasional peek at Cap'n Aylar while he is training. But her mind is elsewhere, lost with many thoughts: Memories of her past life, worries about Grog'tial's and Cliodhna's fates, all the unanswered questions she wanted to demand Cliodhna to answer (why did she hide them the facts about their fate and nature, what happened to the former ship's captain, etc.)

However, two unexpected appearances made her recover her good mood.

The first one was Devin, whom she welcomes with a warm pleasant smile. "Ahoy, this 'ere chap surely knows 'ow to treat lasses. Ye be welcome onboard!"

The second one was Circeana. Even though the siren is trying to make her jealous, she finds somewhat amusing how Aylar and her look at each other.
She looks for Kyp and whispers to him: "Matey, seems that there our new cap'n will soon need yer advice on... fish anatomy"
She chuckles, but she has some mixed feelings. It would be a real waste for Aylar to fall in the arms of this creature. And she can't also help thinking again about what happened to Grog'tial and sighs "As me mum always said, I 'ave a very bad eye fer them scurvy dogs..."

So, she grabs a jar of Grog and joins her friend Durik in a game of dice. Better not thinking too much. Besides, there's grog instead of tea.

OOC:
Thanks for the big adventure you embarked all of us in, bjgamer. You're the best!
And yo the rest of players: you are the best crew one can imagine!
Have a jolly winter solstice and a great incoming year!

Somewhere, far away, perhaps even in a different universe or plane of existence, Grog'tial stirs uneasily in his sleep. Though it's the first night in months where his sleep isn't influenced by seductive and manipulative whispers, this does not mean his mind is now at ease. He is having nightmares about shadows chasing after him while he's walking straight into the open arms of a hag, who puckers her lips in expectation and demands a big kiss. As he reaches her, an audience of strangers bursts out laughing, and he notices that she's actually an ugly fish, ready to devour a tiny toy ship, on which he recognizes all his crew mates. He calls out to warn them, to tell them that only Argy is supposed to be tiny (and that only to the half-orcs), but the shadows are smothering him and drawing him away into a shadowy alcove filled with spiders. Frantically he claws at the spiderwebs holding him. He has to save them! Why isn't Aylar shooting starfire from his cutlass to free him?!

Waking up with a strangled scream, Grog'tial finds himself all tangled in the sheets, with the nightmare far from over. The comforting swaying motion of the ship, the secure presence of the crew bunked all around himself or walking the deck above his head - they've been replaced by these wannabe clowns, this untouchable all-powerful shadowy figure, and his grandmother who has gotten the craziest notions in her head. But the Aboleth is still out there! Or will the crew have managed to successfully face the hag and the Aboleth after it? He has little trust in it - and if they haven't, then he fears that soon, the shadows will be coming after him again...

===

ooc: thanks everyone, and especially bjgamer! I struggled quite a bit where my preconceived notions about the game and how my character would fit in ran face-first into the type of problems you get when you don't re-examine your premises every so often, and I then struggled mightily to find a viable path toward character growth. Still, I believe I'm nearly happy with the current end-state for Grog'tial. It remains to be seen if he can rejoin the crew, but I'm not without hope.

(Oh, and welcome Devin! Glad to have you coming aboard!)

"Yoooooo! a snack!"

Kyp promptly eats the fish head