Tales of Glory and Valour: the Seafarers Main RP Topic

Community Role Playing
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The horror caused by the quite apparent damage sustained in the wreck was rapidly overtaken by an uncontrollable flurry of thoughts all piling on and only partially worming their way down through his brain.

Can anything be salvaged of the wreck? Is it truly completely irreparable? Ari’s a shipwright; is there any chance she’ll be able to salvage it? At least until we make the next island? Perhaps will we have to take her boat instead, maybe salvage pieces from the Caelin’s Hand that we can get where we’re headed? Will we need money to procure a new vessel? Am I going to have to be the one to procure that money? I’m way too tired to even start thinking about any of that; did my quarters survive? Is my cloak there still, or did I lose that? What would Alexis think if she knew that I-

Dolphus blinked, turned his head towards Mako in confusion, and then looked down at the Armada soldier. In truth, Mako was just trying to get rid of him, but the word choice made it seem to Dolphus that Mako was offering to guard the soldier while he went and caught up with Ari to participate in whatever awful thing was about to occur.

Well that’s awfully nice of Mako. I wonder when he decided to volunteer like that?

“I uh- thanks.” Dolphus mumbled, wobbling to his feet. He tried to say something else, but chose to just force himself along after Ari instead. Hopefully this fellow won’t be waking up again for a while… And also that Mako won’t decide to do anything foolish in the meantime.

Hey, this is literally the first time Mako has done anything inconveniencing for your benefit. Try to give him at least a LITTLE bit of a chance.

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The boat was completely unrecognisable. Now it turned into a small pile of broken planks. It looked as if everything that was even remotely usable was hurriedly picked apart and dragged away. And naturally, there was no sign of Ari’s toolbox.

WHAT

Ari sharply turned around, stormed up to the bandaged man with a furious look on her face. She stood uncomfortably close to him and looked as if she was about to grab him by the collar… or do something even less nice at any moment.

“Nobody. Ever. Touches. My toolbox.” She eyed Mako with the most intense look available to her.

Suddenly something behind Mako caught her attention. As she looked at it over his shoulder, a terrified expression appeared on her face.

So that’s where my boat went.

The ship was patched up with a mess of random pieces of timber. There was no rhyme or reason to it, it was a chaotic patchwork of wood, put together by someone who clearly had no shipbuilding knowledge whatsoever. And the most serious bit of damage, the broken keel, hadn’t even been repaired. Were they really going to sail on this ship in this condition? It wouldn’t even hold for a day, let alone endure an entire voyage in these dangerous seas. The sight that opened before her eyes was truly an insult to the art of shipbuilding.

Dad would have a heart attack if he saw this.

But not before killing the one responsible for this. And me, for letting it happen.

She turned towards Dolphus, still standing directly in front of Mako

“Bring me to the one responsible for maintaining the ship.” She hasn’t been this furious in a long time.

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Dolphus barely got any chance to close the distance as Ari suddenly turned, rapidly approached, and nearly stomped overtop him to get to Mako. He had to backpedal heavily to make it out of the way in time, easily falling back into the sand and making a substantial effort to get back up again.

I’m so tired…

And not just tired but also of this specifically.

Dolphus’ eyes traveled nervously as he tried to think of who best fit that description, putting in an effort to not be intimidated by Ari’s face turning so red it was giving her hair a run for its money. Alexis might be able to… No, they would kill each other. Can’t have that. Oh wait, Mariner’s huge; surely he’d be able to set her straight if it came to any kind of conflict.

“This way.” Dolphus spoke through his mask as much as possible to prove how truly unbothered he was by her performance, and turning to go managed to take three steps before his foot slipped in the sand and he faceplanted.

I am going to jump back in the ocean and hope the squid comes and crushes me to death again. He wiped the sand from his chin as he struggled upwards yet another time. So glad Alexis isn’t here to see me be this embarrassing.

…I hope. His eyes briefly swiveled about, watching the water line.

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Mako just stared blankly, for there was nothing to say.

“Can you please be patient? We both still have things to do, respectfully. And, you can’t start making demands, until you meet with Mariner and The Captain. You can probably go up onto the ship with Dolphus, and meet them.”

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“That’s what I’m talking about!” Ari exclaimed as she marched past Mako. He was saying something but her focus had already shifted. She just shrugged in response.

Ari watched Dolphus plummet face first into the ground, for seemingly no reason. She helped him back onto his feet, trying to be as delicate as physically possible, to avoid toppling him back over. She already managed to learn her lesson from past interactions with the kid. She gestured towards the unluckiest soldier in the Armada, who had been abandoned by Dolphus moments earlier.

“Leave this dead weight here. I’m sure Bandages will look after him. And we will go there and have a serious talk about how we’re going to make this thing sail again.”

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Dolphus was beginning to learn his lesson from rather recent interactions with Ari, as well - She hurts people without realizing it until well after. And it was with this knowledge in mind that he noted her apparent carefulness, accepting her help while shying away from it as much as he could.

No matter what you do, DON’T TICK HER OFF.

A smile threatened to jump onto his face for a moment, but he coldly cut it off before it had the chance to form. I should not be thinking about how I could use her to get rid of people by motivating her to get mad at them. That’s not a nice, pleasant thought.

Ok well it is kind of pleasant, at least for me.

“Right,” Dolphus replied with the air of if I disagree I might get hit over the head and cracked right down the middle as a result. Not that he was thinking that or anything, obviously, I mean c’mon.

Nodding his thanks to Mako, not once considering that maybe Mako didn’t actually want to play guard duty for an unconscious guy, he turned towards the ship, then shook his head to throw the sand out of his hair. A tired glaze shot across his eyes briefly, and he swallowed in response. It’s wearing off.

“Right, uhh, do you want to check your ship first? Mayb- uhhhhhhhhh,” Dolphus leaned around Ari despite Ari not actually being in the way whatsoever. “Is that your ship??”

@N01InParticular Alexis time :goo:

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“Was.” Ari threw a somber glance at the sad remains of her boat. “A beautiful small ship with one mast, fit for a crew of six. It’s a pile of trash now, your crew has picked away everything that was usable.” Yeah and used it for the worst repair imaginable. She threw an angry look at the big ship on the other side of the beach. “There’s nothing left to look at. Let’s go.”

@N01InParticular your last chance before the two goobers go looking for Mariner

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Alexis strode towards the small boat, clearly, it had been through the same terrible storm they had gone through last night. Right now, she has spotted three people. One was a rather large woman, quite a bit taller than herself, actually. She was currently in the process of tossing what looked like a soldier off her shoulder. And, oh, great, the walking mummy was over here as well.

Oh, hey, Dolphus is over here too.

wait

Alexis picked up the pace, now practically sprinting over to the group, tripping a little in the sand but recovering quickly. She made no attempt to disguise her approach; at this point, she didn’t care. getting to dolphins and making sure he was safe was her chief concern.

ooc yay we finally made it

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Dolphus swallowed and gave a nod, his internal systems pushing close to their limit to keep him functional. Were it not for his lineage, he would surely be a nervous wreck by now.

Turning back towards the Caelin’s Hand, he casually buttoned his vest back up without thinking, wondering if he was imagining it feeling looser than normal, when his train of thought was completely derailed, crashed, scrapped, melted down, and remade into fireplace pokers by the sound of someone approaching which demanded his full attention.

Dolphus’ walk abruptly slowed and then stopped.

His head turned, dragging the rest of his body along with it. There, almost frantically running over, was Alexis, and suddenly the rest of the world didn’t seem to exist. Now the only thing that mattered was what she was going to say after what felt like months apart.

Are you okay? Who’s that man over there? I was so worried about you. Who’s this lady you’re escorting? Where did you run off to? You don’t have the authority to desert the party. I expect a good explanation for this. When will you learn your place here?

The slew of possibilities slammed into his mind, tossing him about uncontrollably in a sea of uncertainty. What will she say? Will she be pleased or displeased? Will she be concerned or not? Did I do a good enough job for her?

His hand quivered, recalling Ari’s touch. It was so far from Alexis, and yet, as she neared, it seemed like it could have truly been her if he tried hard enough to make himself believe it.

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Caeseus was tired of being ignored. With a word to Tharos he stalked off towards Alexis. He had a report to give and he would give it. As he walked he remarked on the 3 individuals she was going to see.

There was the small fellow, Dolphus, and Mako. Those two he knew of course. Though he doubted they even knew his name. In fact he was certain only Mariner and Tharos did. Tharos, now that was a surprise. Tharwyn was normally very protective of him, but he could think on that later.

Being dead came with certain privileges but it also came with the unfortunate aspect of all the living treating you like a servant. Careful he thought, best control that temper, that’s what got you killed at halfshell bay.

That just left the Big person, he almost did a double take, if they had a shell he’d almost believe they were a.small Halinth, clearly they were new.

As he approached the group he curtly removed his helmet and shifted it under one arm.

He was an older fellow, probably in his late forties when he died. His brass hair, flowing down to his shoulders, now streaked with iron. He maintained a clean shaven face, not that he had to shave anymore. Although he supposed if he really wanted a beard it would grow…

He’d become so lost in thought over the peculiar circumstances of unlife in the honoured dead. He almost didn’t realize he’d almost walked right into the group. He had to mentally lock himself back to his purpose.

Sensing a conversation he slowed his steps and waited for the opportune moment to speak. Standing approximately 10 or so feet away, close enough to hear, without intruding.

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Mako had started hauling the body of the unfortunate soldier, muttering how heavy the soldier was, before looking up to catch sight of Alexis sprinting towards Dolphus.
Huh. I guess she is really concerned.

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Mariner meanwhile was recovering from his wounds and using a resin to seal the crack in his shell. Carefully he brushed the edges, trying to smooth it down, forcing the bubbles out to ensure good adhesion. After a short wait it was hardened. He covered it with a simple dressing, ensuring nothing would disturb it until cured.

Walking back on to deck he looked for the closest sailer. “Good day Maya, have you seen Caeseus? Was hoping to ask him for an update on the repairs.”

The sailor, looking up, smiled at Mariner then shrugged. “Unfortunately not sir, think he went to brief the Privateers. Waste of time if you ask me, doubt they know what to do with a briefing.”

“That’ll do Maya, they have a very important mission you know.”

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Ari stopped in her tracks and turned towards the sound of the rapidly approaching footsteps. Someone was rushing towards them from the direction of the boat remains. A woman with black hair. How did she notice her earlier? The woman had a confident, determined appearance. Ari immediately identified her as someone in position of authority. She had that look on her rather strict face. It didn’t escape Ari’s attention that the woman was wearing a military cape, extremely similar to the one draped over the kid’s shoulder. Ari had a hunch on who that was. She eyed the rapidly approaching figure with an air of curiosity, but inside she tensed. For whatever reason, she had a hunch that this interaction wasn’t going to be the smoothest.

She looked over at Dolphus: “Is that your Alexis?” Despite her efforts, she put a bit too much emphasis on the word your. She just couldn’t help herself.

The only thing more curious than the woman’s arrival was Dolphus’s reaction to it. She couldn’t get her eyes off of his face, side eyeing him, watching for any signs of genuine emotion slipping through the mask. What’s the deal with these two? Why does he seem so attached to her, of all people?

Ari noticed another figure appear in her peripheral vision. But for now she paid no attention to it, being too preoccupied with the much more apparent visage of Alexis.

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From the deck of the Caelin’s Hand, Karl saw the group emerge from the forest.
Oh no. Alexis will be… wait. He saw Alexis head towards them, and realized after a moment that Dolphus was one of the people who had just arrived.
“Oh good, he’s fine,” Karl said out loud.

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Without another word, Alexis runs up to the gathered party and stops short of Dolphus before kneeling down to check for any wounds. Once certain that there’s nothing too life-threatening to him, she embraces him in a short, hands-free hug. “Thank the gods, you’re alright.” She says finally as she stands back up. “Tharos said you had been flung out of the ship during the storm, you must be quite the trooper to have survived all that.” She says with a warm smile as she tousles his hair. Not waiting for a response, she turns to the rest of the gathered group, focusing her attention on Ari. “Who are you?”

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Dolphus was barely able to tear his eyes off Alexis long enough to send a puzzled glare towards Ari, only lasting for half a second. She’s trying to find something out… Her prying is too obvious. Too may little signs. What exactly I don’t know, but-

As he looked back. Alexis seemed to have jumped forward considerably, so it was with a start that Dolphus took in her immediate reaction to his presence.

Dolphus could feel his throat locked as he leaned back, unsure what she was scanning him for. He looked down briefly to ensure the blood-stained part of his shirt was sufficiently hidden by his vest, spending just a moment too long inspecting his wardrobe before Alexis embraced him in a… Hug… maybe.

A flurry of thoughts bombarded him, in roughly this order: She’s actually hugging me… No she isn’t, she’s barely touching my cape and nothing else… Is this some kind of punishment? Does she know? I guess I deserve this kind of treatment… Okay maybe it’s better that she doesn’t I don’t want her finding out about the wing just yet and causing a scene, do I need to tuck it in more?

So as Alexis finished the hug she may have noticed Dolphus’ body crumple slightly as it tried to avoid contact on his left side. But if this was indicative of him possibly abhorring contact, her next action demolished that notion altogether.

Dolphus’ cheeks flushed slightly upon hearing her relief and the following compliment, the mask showing some of the emotion lying underneath. But as she tousled his hair briefly, the mask exploded into a million tiny shards, flying out and sparking in all directions as his lips parted and eyes glowed.

It happened. His flushed cheeks cleared instantly, settling into a ruddy glow as his pupils slowly increased in diameter. For the first time in a while, his brow relaxed, all but losing the wrinkle in between as the sounds of the shore died away in an instant. The only thoughts that entered his mind were to tell her his deepest fears, his most well-kept secrets, all the pains hidden in his heart, but just enough of the real world remained within his vision to keep him grounded in his aspirations.

…The wing.

It was no longer a wretched thing, some abomination grafted onto him like a curse, but was a gift, a jewel, something so dear and so precious that rather than hide it from the world in fear, it had to be guarded and shown only to those he trusted the most.

You have to show her.

Were it not for the rest of the world, with all its ghost sailors and giant murder women, he might have thrown the cape off right then. But it was enough to continue staring in awe at her as she, unlike the emotionally distraught child he was, continued behaving like a rational adult.

OOC: We’re so back :goo: :goo: :goo:

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Dolphus’s lack of response to her jab confirmed Ari’s suspicions that the rapidly approaching stern-looking woman was, in fact, the fabled Alexis and that the kid saw her in a completely different light from everyone else.

Is she his mother or something? They do look quite alike…

The woman was now in arm’s reach from her and carefully examining Dolphus.

Ari was barely able to hold herself from laughing out loud at the awkward attempt at a hug that unfolded before her eyes. She let out a chuckle, despite her best efforts.

These people clearly don’t know what a real hug is.

After this display, Alexis didn’t seem nearly as threatening anymore. Ari was able to relax once again.

Ari curiosity watched the boy’s deathly pale face turn an almost healthy pinkish colour, which was presumably his equivalent of a blush, after hearing Alexis’s reassuring words. She mentally patted herself on the back for getting a good read on his character. She’d already seen what she assumed was his true face before, and getting the confirmation that it was not a fluke, in the form of this display of genuine emotion, definitely felt rewarding. She couldn’t help but warm up to him just a little bit more, seeing again that the cold, uncaring facade wasn’t everything he was about. After all, he was just a kid, who got dealt a very bad hand in life.

The painfully obvious comparison once again creeped its way into Ari’s thoughts, but she shoved it into the farthest corner of her mind. It was not the time to get sentimental. She had a job to do.

“I’m Ari W-” She caught herself. She still didn’t trust these people enough to disclose something like this. “Just Ari. I am a shipwright and I will repair your vessel for the small price of you getting me off this island and as far away from the Armada as possible.” She threw an uncharacteristically calculated glance at the ship, as if confirming her assessment of its current condition. “It desperately needs it, you know, and I bet that you all want to leave this place just as much.” A big genuine smile appeared on her face.

This time she couldn’t help but notice the figure of a sailor listening in on their conversation. A figure that didn’t look quite alive. (@Winterstorm345)

OOC: man does it feel good to be real again :smirk:
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“ I found them, or rather, they found me, in the forest. Along with this unfortunate sap.”
Mako said, dragging the unconscious soldier in his grasp towards them.
“All said, I’d say this probably wasn’t the worst thing to happen to us.”

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“It’s nice to meet you.” Alexis says flatly, taking mental note of the hesitation to give a last name or what was possibly a title. “I’m sure dolphins have already said something, but I’m Alexis.” She finishes as she sticks her hand out for her to shake. “As for paying you to repair our boat, I would need to discuss that with the crew first.” She pauses, realizing that some of the specters that ran the caelin’s hand may have already been salvaging wood from her boat. “But you’re welcome to stay with us until we’re able to reach a verdict.”

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Ari nodded and eagerly shook Alexis’s hand, with the smile still being present on her face. She didn’t seem to mind the dryness of the woman’s greeting.

Ari rolled her eyes at Alexis calling the ship a boat.

“Sure thing. I don’t need no money for my work. All I ask for is a passage away from the Summer Isles, as far as possible, which is where you seem to be heading anyways.” She switched to a much more serious tone when she said this, signifying how important the matter was to her.

“So it’s a deal!” Her face broke into a wide smile once again. Things finally seemed to start to get better for her. At least she didn’t need to look for shelter now.

She moved her attention to the ship once more. She was too far away from it to determine the exact extent of damage that it sustained, But the most glaring issue, the broken keel, was extremely apparent, even from this distance. Damage like this normally sent ships straight to the scrapyard to be dismantled, and most shipwrights wouldn’t even attempt to fix it, knowing that it was a lost cause. But Ari didn’t have such a luxury.
And the unstable looking repairs done by the ship’s crew still bothered her.

“You don’t have a real shipwright on your crew, do you? You won’t be able to complete the repairs before high tide. No matter what your verdict is going to be, I need to talk to the one in charge of fixing the ship and look at it up close.”

Ari looked over at the approaching Mako and pointed at the unconscious soldier who was being dragged by him, looking back at Alexis:

“Uhm yeah… we also have this. The kid will probably want to tell that story.” She knew that she couldn’t tell the truth about what went down in the forest. Better let Dolphus deal with coming up with a good lie. It seemed to be his specialty, after all.

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