Two days after the gathering in the Great Cabin, just before they were going to move the Ship, another ghostly vessel appeared in the passage flying a Wolf's Head flag. Captain Jac was on the quarterdeck with Captain Aylar, discussing the best course, how to engage the Ship's stealth (usually under Clíodhna's control) and if it would even be able to be maintained with the damaged energy levels of the Ship. Captain Jac frowned. The other ship had made excellent time, which meant they had used a Gate instead of one of the normal routes, off-setting the time discrepancy between this plane and the Weirding Sea. It probably also meant they wanted to deliver their passenger as soon as possible. She had been informed the scoundrel had been called, she just had thought she'd have more time to prepare Captain Aylar, but the siren's revelations, condition of the Ship, quickly changing circumstances of the ports around this sea and the pressing need to take stock of what they would need for repairs had taken up all their time. Well, nothing for it now.

"Looks like your new crew member is arriving Captain," Captain Jac told Aylar. "They made better time than I thought." She sighed. "You might as well know Devin of Moonsea can be charming, fond of the ladies though not a cad, and rather fond of the gambling and the drink as most bards be ... but he's solid and dangerous, Captain Aylar. Very dangerous. He gets in and blends in where most can't and he has ways of getting intel that most don't. The admiral must have called him for a reason, and that means you need him."

She watched from the corner of her eye as the ship pulled alongside and saw Devin forego the boarding plank and swing across, landing like the proverbial cat. Sigh. After many years she had learned how to read him somewhat. Impatient, concerned, the dreams must have ridden him hard and he knew something, even though the crews had been told not to say anything. He was sauntering their way nonchalantly. Shite. That was not a good sign. Devin in nonchalant mode meant a particularly alert, wary and challenging Devin. He was already sizing up Captain Aylar in a glance, even as he seemed to good-naturedly nod to other crew. Then she saw the braid and swore. Aye, he knew, and he was coldly furious.

Aylar and the Crew that were on deck saw a half-elf swing across, his lute case strapped alongside his pack on his back, dressed in comfortable practical sailing shirt and breeches with a dark blue waistcoat and sash. He looked to be a little over 6'1" (186 cm), fair with no beard, with black shoulder-blade length hair pulled back in a silver clasp and a thin single braid in front of his left ear, which bore a silver and moonstone earring three quarters of the way up its pointed lobe. His eyes were an intense cat green and he moved with a feline grace, yet he seemed affable and nonchalant and nodded pleasantly while he proceeded towards the quarterdeck where Captain Aylar stood with Captain Jac discussing plans and the Ship.

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Note: Posting Devin aboard as he not only would have come straight away, but Captain Aylar and the Crew can probably use his skills during the interim as Devin is not marked nor wanted and therefore can slip in anywhere and get information and supplies.

Thanks for coordinating with the GM about your post and how much history to reveal as yet Devin. I've incorporated some of what you wrote here to tie it in. ;) You are clear to post yourself aboard.

They had made good time. The ship tacked into the reef channel and Devin straightened his supple night blue leather and silk waistcoat over his practical charcoal gray shirt and breeches. First rule of shadows, never wear solid black. Dark blues, gray-browns or grays blended well into the shadows, black just made a more solid hole that could attract attention. He left the laces, frills and coat packed. There was no need for them while aboard ship, not until he had his assignment. He checked his rapier, cleaned and sharpened that morning, and slid it home in its quick draw sheath, his silvered dagger sheathed beside it on his belt, over which was a dark blue sash which could hide various other implements at need. His raven black shoulder blade length hair was already pulled back into the silver moon engraved clasp, except for one small braid left hanging at his left temple, now interwoven with a sapphire blue ribbon until he knew for sure. Captain Jac would know what it meant, he was in no mood for games. In his left ear the silver cats-eye moonstone earring shone, the only piece of jewelry, besides the hair clasp, that he now wore since he had reluctantly returned her silver locket at the end of their last venture. One last dust off of his supple dark leather boots with the small grips on the soles and he was ready.

Eschewing the offer to set a boarding plank and not wanting to wait, Devin grabbed one of the lines and simply swung over to the main deck of the Ship, landing with his customary catlike grace. Seeing Captain Jac on the quarterdeck with a red-haired half-elf, he strode nonchalantly on quiet feet toward them, nodding easily at other crew as he passed, with a slight bow and a wink for any ladies present. He had spent five days aboard a ship with an unnaturally quiet crew trying its best to avoid him except for the nightly card and dice games where coinage talked. That meant one thing, it was worse than dire. He had observed closely on the way in. It had evidently been a fierce battle. He already felt that the Ship was wrong, no greeting, no heart. Neither was she here, he would have felt her, and that raised the alertness in him more. So the Dreams were more than warnings. He let the predator's instincts come forth to guide him. There would be answers this time or he would know why not.

At least he knew there was no egg for him to take possession of. He would not be tasked with taking her back to Elysium to be reborn, seeing youthful beauty and joy weighed down by memories and the mantle of wisdom won by hard choices. Nor would he be escorting a new young phoenix to Court to explain to the Council how she had evidently once again managed to work around things and get into another situation - without protection. Not that most would think a phoenix needed protection, but she - was different. He had heard the tale that she had been changed, ensnared, but he was not to interfere, so there must have been something else to it affecting someone's long range plans. Bedamn the Courts and their machinations. He was heartily sick of them sending her into the dark or the fire just because they thought she could take it. Never mind that he himself had once been one of those she pulled from despair and darkness. If the Lady of Dreams would just see fit to grant Her favor in this one thing and bring her under Her divine protection he would be free to find a way to put an end to it. However Polly, as he heard she was being called in that bound form, was not entirely Fae - and so his Goddess was reluctant.

His quick glance ran over the other half-elf, noting things and storing them away in that single look. The other had something very fey about him, and something of her about him as well. The stance spoke of experience, the cutlass well taken care of and easy to hand, an axe also on the belt, dual wielding, most likely quick. No tattoos visible - independent then, not guild or Court-bound and not deity marked - but Charms bound to a white lock in that red hair, and one of them was hers. It radiated with her power. Ally then, one of hers perhaps? He would treat him as such until proven otherwise.

He took the quarterdeck stairs two at a time with his swift natural grace, gave a quick nod of acknowledgment to the half-elf and bowed with a flourish as Captain Jac turned toward him. "Lady Captain," as he rose he took her hand in one of his as his other reached to her hair and pulled forth three silver coins which he dropped into her hand, followed by a gold necklace. "My mark be repaid. Seeing as ye were not aboard, the cards be more in my favor it seems." His eyes glinted at her in amusement, then went deadly serious, although his voice remained smooth and melodic. "The sailing be smooth, but far too quiet. I be summoned, but M'Lady be not here. I now have three questions for ye, and ye will answer or I will be knowing why not. How long? Where? Who? I know she be badly wounded but alive for now, held in darkness without the stars to guide her or pull energy from, and no moonlight toucheth her or I would know and See. No birds have found her nor sent message, or ye would not be so worried. So ye will answer me, then point out to me the last to see her and give me my target."

=========
ooc: Thank you for the welcome! I look forward to the journey. And possibly one of lady Argy's hugs - without pepper please. *wink*

Not to be revealed yet. Answered in PM. Thank you, Fair One.

Rolling her eyes Captain Jac retrieved her hand back and pocketed the coins and necklace. She pointedly ignored Devin's demands. That would be up to Captain Aylar now. She looked over at Aylar. "Captain Aylar, this is Devin of Moonsea, your new crew member; a decent hand with the sails, a passable bard, a better scoundrel. Devin, this is Captain Aylar, captain of this Ship. Her captain, and yours for now. He'll brief you. Captain Aylar, I'll leave Devin to you. I need to attend to the news and any dispatches that came in with them. Devin, play nice." With that she nodded to Aylar and moved to descend the stairs.

Wishing everyone on the Cursed Crew Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!

Wait ... what's this white stuff? Gilius! Did you make it snow?!! :D

Happy Holidays everyone!
May your adventures in real life be as entertaining and filled with magic as they are here! :D

I spit a spectral rumball in each of your faces. Worry not..., it's a bringer of fortune and a gesture of genuine love! ;)

Happy holidays to everyone.

Happy New Year to the Crew! Arrr! May the new year bring ye all treasure beyond measure, good fortune, good health, fine fellowship, and fair winds to ye sails!

Raise a Grog to friends now gone, and the finest Crew a GM can have! Now let's be enjoying the music of our new bard, Kyp and Captain Baldbeard, Argy's fine feast, and the Count's dancing! Cap'n Rummyfangs - let's keep the rumballs out of the Grog please. :P

Mighty

Taking opportunity of calm sea and magically summoned snow, Mighty builds Three-Headed snowman on the prow of the ship.

***
Happy New Year to the Crew!

Nah, that be just me dandruff from me scratchin' me 'air an' beard in the fightin' top !


Happy new year 2024, full of excitement and adventure !

Whaaat? Mighty was building snowman from dandruff!?

GM Message to all Crew:

Scheduling conflicts have moved my eye surgeries to mid-late February and very early March. I have some RL things to complete before then, so I am looking to open a new thread for Voyage Part 2 sometime the last week of February so Crew can think about and prepare posts of any interim adventures while Captain Aylar is having the Ship repaired. Captain Aylar has informed the GM prior (via PM) of his intent to sail to Monkey Island for resupply and some physical repairs, allowing Crew to take smuggler ships to various other ports - although remember the Free Port we sailed from is now under occupation by DRM forces commanded by Commodore Beckett and everyone except Devin, Kyp and Cap'n Rummyfangs are posted as "Wanted" and will be under threat of pursuit and arrest. Your adventures can reflect this if you like, but Commodore Beckett is still part of the plot so cannot be encountered personally unless cleared with the GM. For those who wish to stay aboard Ship, Captain Aylar also informs me he intends to seek out a few nights mooring at a sea wyrdling node (think of a Fae 'port' with strange magical sea beings) to look into magical repairs and castings as well. Any Crew adventures there should be undertaken with great caution and checked with the GM first.

Restart of the Voyage and Missions should hopefully resume at the end of the first week of March. If you will NOT be continuing on in the game, please let me know as soon as possible. Hope to see all of you back aboard in a little under a month! :)

Ahoy GM #bjgamer! Sending you a full loaded fleet of positivi tea.

Cap'n Barfdeck Rummyfangs was neither here, nor there; he was everywhere, and yet, he was nowhere. He could not see the Ship, nor were any of his fellow crewmates in sight. But, he could sense their strong presence just a breath away. He was surrounded by a very bright light. It did not hurt or blind him, for the light seemed to be shininig not onto his eyes, but from behind them, as if from a lighthouse within his mind.

"Shiver me timbers! The light be me!" the spectral feline chuckled to himself, utterly enlightened (no pun intended).

He felt a great sense of calm occupy every fiber of his spectral self. His spirit had been liberated. Am I dreaming, he wondered? Cap'n Rummyfangs recalled being enfolded in the safety of Clíodhna's wings mere moments ago, even if in truth that moment had long expired. That sense of security still lingered and fueled his strength, but here he was, seemingly alone. Neither here, nor there...

Suddenly, from this bright light emerged an accordian. Not just any accordian, but an accordian from his past, dating many moons ago, long before he had become a pirate or even a captain. He was a sailor back then and to this day, remained fond of this accordian. Decades ago, he had lost it to the sea during a violent battle, also lost. How strange that it had found him after all those years?

"Tis magic playin' wit' me vision," he muttered to himself as the accordian landed onto his lap. Instinctively, he placed his paws upon it. Like him, the accordian was spectral too. And like him, it had a mind of its own! Before he could grasp what was happening, the accordian's bellows began to expand and retract, the flow of air suddenly playing a melody all too familiar to Cap'n Rummyfangs. The instrument was playing him and not the other way around! It played a song taught to him by three sailors with whom he had travelled as a stowawy long ago. They liked his talent for ridding their ship of rats and vermin so much, that before parting ways, they had gifted him their accordian!

As the accordian played the familiar melody, Cap'n Rummyfangs found his voice and sang alongside his aerophone companion:

Ooooh, we've got this notion
That we'd quite like to sail the ocean
So we're building a big boat to leave here for good.
We're not keen on sinking
So we're all sitting here a thinking
'Cause we built it too big and we've run out of wood.
eidle eidle eee
eidle eidle eee
We simply can't leave 'til we get some more wood.
Oooh, we're not keen on sinking
So that's why we're sitting thinking
Cause we simply can't leave 'til we get some more wood.

Ooooh, the boat is now finished
But there's still something on the wish-list
To keep us all going through the wind and the rain.
There's no food on the table
And we can't sail unless we're able
So we ain't going nowhere 'til we get some grain.
eidle eidle eee
eidle eidle eee
We simply can't leave until we get some grain.
Therrrre's no food on the table
And we can't sail unless we're able
So we ain't going nowhere 'til we get some grain.

Ooooh, We're not complaining but there's still one more thing remaining
Cause bread is quite boring if that's all you eat.
We need some flavour
So do us all a little favour
Cause, we ain't going nowhere 'til we get some meat.
eidle eidle eee
eidle eidle eee
We simply can't leave until we've got some meat.
Sooooo, do us a favour and find something with a little flavour
Cause we're going nowhere 'til we've got some meat.