forum "Bloodstained Gold" (Pirate Group RP) {Closed}

Started August 25, 2022 by @ScotchTapeWorm group

tune

There was a pub on the waterfront, a dimly lit, smoky little place called the Sea Witch's Cauldron. It was a hodgepodge of building materials, haphazardly slapped together every time it was destroyed in a storm. The owners had never bothered to move locations, despite having to rebuild almost yearly.
They had gained a loyal clientele who would come and spend their time and money at the Cauldron, regardless of its condition.
The folks who came to drink the grog and ale were as much of a hodgepodge as the building itself. Secretive smugglers, pirate wanna-bes, unsavory merchants, steely-eyed bounty hunters, pretty girls with too much makeup and time on their hands- all kinds gathered here, away from the prying eyes of the law. If you wanted a job done well and on the sly, this was the place to find your man.
And if you wanted to crew a ship, this wold be a good spot.
As one, the pub cheered when they heard Axel Silver-tongue's distinctive shout over the tinkling of the bells.
Personally, Kavo Vathis sat back in his seat in the corner, waiting.

Maybe this would be the chance he was looking for.

Aria hopped off the boat excitedly, sword in hand, a wild look in her eye. "I didn't think you'd choose a little town such as this. But I guess the best come from humble beginnings." She grinned. "Who exactly are we looking for?" She asked, not waiting for an answer. A pub catches Aria's eye. "We should look there." Naturally drawn to kitchens and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, she had already started walking towards it. Since she'd joined the ship only a few weeks prior, she wasn't used to listening to orders or waiting for directions, as there was no authority in her life until recently. Aria turns to her captain, remembering herself, considering asking to enter first. Deciding against it, she runs into the pub.

The Captain hummed thoughtfully, head tipping to the side. He glanced at Aria, amused by her matching his energy.
"We're lookin' fer bodies and people. Bodies fer bullets and people fer jobs… And somethin' strong. Be it a person or drink, hm?" He walked off, towards where Aria had pointed, a tavern he was very familiar with.

The Captain of The Deceit had a very.. Distinctive walk. Somewhere between the swagger of a drunk man, the sliding step of a cat, and the slither of a snake. He'd been to this city more times than he'd care to recall, it barely even had a name and all the taverns were seedy places. Axel adored this town, all of the law was corrupt and the people willing to slit your throat for the mere sound of a coin. His favorite place of all however, was the most disgusting, most ramshackle, most run down building in the place. Looking like it was held together with spit, tacks, and maybe a good wish or two The Sea Witch's Cauldron was the perfect place to find people desperate enough for coin and absolutely untraceable by anyone who cared to find them.

Silver-Tongue had been in this place many a times, usually coming out with people he wouldn't mind being cannon fodder, taking a piece of lead for a more valuable crew member, but sometimes.. You find a gold coin in the mud, silver covered in rust and needing to be burnished, a diamond in the rough if you will. The Captain had picked up his last cannon master here, a man with hair so wild it wasn't unusual to find small animals living in it, the man was insane, but the best shot they had with their metal giants of powder. He 'tsked' it was still a shame the man had blown himself up, it was a waste of talent..

Violet eyes gleamed as the tall man slammed the door open, grinning wildly enough to nearly split the skin on the sides of his face. The cheer he received stoked his ego more than it probably should have and the man swaggered in, winking at the bartender, a stocky man who'd worked there for years, rebuilding the place when it fell.. Again. And again.. And again. Axel slammed a gold coin down on the table, looking around.

"This round's on me, eh?" Another cheer. This served two purposes, to show off his wealth, and to get some of the men even more inebriated, making them easier to hire. And who wouldn't want to work for someone free with money? He scanned the room, making sure he looked in the corners for any stragglers or hiders. He hated hiders. The tall man started walking around, slapping a few shoulders, jokingly bowing to a few women, still scanning the room with darting eyes. When his eyes fell upon a very.. Crustacean figure, his eyes narrowed to slits. Big enough to barely fit at one of the stained tables, a Karcaon, and one with scars on its armor. A gleam grew in the mans eyes and he walked over, leaning on the table, his legs crossed behind him and hands placed on the table.

"Weelll- Hello. And here I thought we'd left the ocean behind us!" The Captain laughed heartily, but his eyes gleamed with a craftiness, even some of his 'accent' from before slipped away, giving him a more well-spoken tone. "Watcha doin' in a place like this?"

(Sorry it's so much, I just.. For some reason I really adore writing for Axel.)

Kavo had smiled to himself as the big man swaggered in. The captain reminded him of his brother, loud and obnoxious and fun-loving but with a brain behind all that bravado. Silver-tongues drink-buying was no idle display of wealth, but a calculated move. You could see it in the way his eyes glinted as he looked around.
Kavo was a bit surprised when the man turned and saw him, and then proceeded to walk over. He smiled up at the man, trying to set the situation at ease.
Karcaon had a long history of being used as mercenaries or assassins, so people tended to be wary, suspicious, or just downright hostile when first meeting Kavo. He wasn't sure what to make of the captain's greeting and simply nodded in his direction, still smiling.
"The same thing you're doing in a place like this, Captain Silver-tongue." He very intentionally and slowly lifted his pincers from where they'd been below the table, and set them on the table top with and audible thunk. Both of them were easily the size of the captain's legs, and razor sharp along the claws as well. Kavo didn't break eye contact as he did it.
"Looking for opportunities."

The Captain sucked in air through his teeth, making an impressed whistling noise. He looked the Karcaon over again, noting the muscle as well as the worn carapace. This was a very, very promising hire. The crab-man was strong, seemed friendly enough, and didn't set off enough alarm bells in Axel's head to be worrying. Doing a mental tally in his head, he wondered how much cargo he'd have to through out to make room for a creature this size..

"Well, friend, I got two questions for ya. Name and weight. And if yer… Amenable to it, I'll give you a full share, if yer willin' to work for us that is. I ain't gonna bother with all the formalities. You know who I am." The calculations Axel was doing in his head were apparent in the glassy violet eyes, he was impressed with this one, and wanted him on his crew.

Aria's eyes sparkled. Fascinated by the unfamiliar man and the pincers, questions bubbled in her head. Though, she attempted to return to a cool exterior. "Opportunities?" She repeated. "Well, you'd better be prepared for life on The Deceit, 'cause we don't take kindly to slackers." She warned, playing a captain's role, used to being by herself. "I doubt you're that type, though. I can tell." She sat at the table. "Your name?" Aria asked, crossing one leg over the other, and setting her sword on the table.

Kavo folded his arms across his chest, and clacked his pincers quietly, thinking. He didn't ignore the girl, exactly, just… focused on the man with the money and the hiring power. "My name is Kavo Vathis, and I weigh 220 on an empty stomach." He raised an eyebrow. "That's quite the offer from a man like you. What are you paying me to do?" He leaned forward, clacking his pincers again, louder this time. "You seem to know Karcaon, you know what I'm capable of."
He wasn't trying to intimidate the man, one look at Axel Silver-tongue and you knew he didn't get intimidated easily. But he did want to throw off any doubt about himself, show he wasn't going to be a pushover or a lackey. Karcaon were strong, but Kavo didn't really want to get suckered into being a loader and nothing else.
Fighting was ok too, whether with his claws or with weaponry, but what he really loved was the helm.
The helm of any ship was part of its soul, guiding its direction and often, its fate. Kavo had an eye for winds and navigation, a solid grasp on constellations and star charts, and the bulk to hold the wheel steady, even in a storm.
He could only hope the captain would see the potential.

(Sorry this us supper short I'm in class)

Isla waited aboard the boat setting the anchor an making sure all was alright to leave it before following after the rest of them not drawing to much attention to herself as she did so

Captain Silver-Tongue chewed on his lip thoughtfully. He glanced at Aria out of the corner of his eye, the girl had spunk, which he appreciated and she even made their food palatable, but.. She lacked discipline and had a wild streak, she hadn't been with them long enough. Axel didn't reign anyone in too much, as Captains went, he ran a pretty loose ship, trusting everyone to do their job.

"Aria. Lass. Unless yer willin' to pay this er- Fine gentleman, I suggest you leave the negotiations to me." Axel spoke sternly, but never quite lost that playful glint in his eyes. It wasn't until that went away and the tall man got serious that people needed to really start to worry. He looked at the Karcaon, the weight was worrying, but manageable. They could forego a few new hires in return for this one. It too fascinating an opportunity to pass up on.

As the crab-man clicked his pincers, some of the more skittish clientele in the pub quieted down, shooting nervous or excited glances at the table. Both reactions clearly expecting some sort of brawl. Pale white teeth flashed as the Captain grinned widely, almost unsettling with his bright eyes.

"Well, Kavo, I'm a firm believer in equal opportunities! What are yer strengths, quirks, or gimmicks you wanna tell us about? Other than your.. More than impressive size?" The bit about equal opportunities was equal parts truth and a joke. Silver-Tongue had a motley crew on his ship, people from all backgrounds, ages, and species, but.. Equal opportunities only extended to lower ranks, unless they killed him, no amount of skill was going to have the prideful Captain step down from his prized role. Besides, the Karcaon had an air about him that intrigued the tall man. He'd met two others in his life, one was as dumb as a rock, but twice as tough as one and the other barely spoke two words together. Axel didn't know if this was indicative of the whole species, which he knew wasn't likely, or just the ones he'd met. But it was still these prior bias that kept him talking to Kavo, his smile never wavering, even as his eyes showed different thoughts flitting through his mind. Unreadable, but clearly active.

"If yer worth it, I don't see why you wouldn't get a full share, even if I'm just hirin' you to crack few skulls, hm? But ignore me, ignore me! Tell me all!" The Captain leaned forwards, he had a piercing stare, combined with his wild hair and grin. He had a way of making people feel like they had all of his intense attention, all at once, like they were the only people in the world he could see and they were the only ones he could think about. To some it was attractive, others creepy, some intense, but no one could deny it was.. Interesting.

Aria nodded and stayed quiet. 'you can't lose this,' she thought. She sat straight and retracted her sword, watching intently, eager to learn more about the recruiting process. She could hardly remember stepping onto the ship for the first time, sleep-deprived and probably a bit drunk. She looked between the two, their contrast, then looked behind her to the others. Some kept staring, most backed out and continued their chatter and drink, though not without a sense of caution. Likely derived from the captain, a stand-out in any crowd. As Captain Silver-Tongue leaned in closer to the Karcaon, she recognized the stare he shot. Again, looking behind her, the young woman could feel the change in the air, the weight.

Kavo relaxed a little when the girl put her sword away, and smiled a little more freely at the captain. The man was good, and Kavo had a lot of respect for a man who knew how to keep his crew in check and still make it clear that they were under his protection.
"Well, I'll give you the short version. I've served on 4 different ships since I was 9. I've been cabin boy and bookkeeper on a military vessel with a crooked captain running arms shipments. I've been hired muscle on a merchant galleon. I've been the helmsman, chartman and mapmaker on an exploratory vessel, mapping the sections of your map that still say 'Uncharted waters'. And most recently, I was one of 2 gunners on a smuggling vessel." He held his hands out wide. "I enjoyed it all, but if you've ever had to lash yourself to the helm in the middle of a gale to keep a ship on course, then you know the thrill that makes me love that job most." His face darkened just slightly as he remembered that the helmsman of the smuggling ship had not been willing to put his body on the line… and Kavo's brother was dead because of it.
"So tell me, captain." His smile was back. "If I shake your hand, what can I expect to do onboard the Deceit?"

Eyes burned Axel's skin, from all sides, friendly eyes, envious eyes, respectful, angry, or curious. He lapped up the attention as he always did, brightening up like a plant receiving sunlight or a cat who caught the canary, he was especially pleased that Aria had responded well to his command. It was heartening to see for the tall man, it would be a shame to have to feed the sharks their finest current cook. She was here to feed them, not the sea. His eyes never left Kavo, watching him and his expressions as he spoke.

Silver-Tongue whistled appreciatively at the track-record. On the sea since age nine, the Karcaon clearly had an affinity, which was a good trait. Obviously, the man was happy enough to do illegal work, seeing how he was even speaking to a known pirate captain and had worked on a smuggling boat. He ran a few calculations in his head, tallying the numbers and considering how much he liked his current helmsman.. The answer was, not very much. A mischievous glint grew in the Captains eye, it was slightly dark and amused.

"Well, I'll give you the job of the helmsman, but.. Well, let's say the role is occupied, what do you do? I'll throw in a signing bonus of a months 'wages' if yer willing..?" The Captain trailed off curiously. Pushing forwards a few gold coins, he smiled again, a tad bit more slyly this time. Wages weren't how pirates were paid, so this was clearly a bribe, if they captured any treasure they were given shares, rather than steadily paid for labor over time. The Captain was curious to see if the Karcaon would do it and how. He wanted to see if he would go for murder, suggest a plan to leave the old helmsman behind, or simply refuse out of principle. It told the violet-eyed pirate a lot about the person and how they would fit in. If the Karcaon refused, Silver-Tongue wouldn't assign him to any combat based roles in addition to helmsman (since he was getting rid of the current one no matter what), if he planned it made the crab-man a tempting option for a promotion to first mate, since he was in need of someone clever, though preferably not as physically strong as Kavo, it made the Captain paranoid. Straight to violence would be interesting as well, making him a reliable wild-card in battle situations.

Captain Silver-Tongue crossed his arms, head tipped to the side curiously. To break the tension he leaned back, waving at someone in the tavern to get him a drink, his intense stare diverted from the crab person momentarily.

"You've got the job no matter what, mind. If yah want it that is. Just curious." Axel lowered the stakes a tad, he didn't want to drive off any new hires per-say, but this made things more interesting. A little bit of fun, and if Kavo didn't like it well, he'd be bloody miserable aboard The Deceit.

Aria was surprised by the bribe, considering being on the ship to be a payment in itself. Though, that is the thinking of a vagrant. Although she disapproved of the money, it wasn't her place to judge and she wanted to be more aware of things like that. She had become bored by not stepping in or shaking anything up, but interested to see how things would play out by themselves.
"You've got the job no matter what, mind. If yah want it that it. Just curious." No surprise there.

Kavo thought carefully for a moment. The attention the captain was drawing wasn't an issue, but there were several stares in his direction that were less than friendly. One man, a bounty hunter, was actively sharpening a knife directly in line-of-sight to Kavo. Not a subtle act.

They all quickly lost interest when he picked up a gold piece off the table and proceeded to effortlessly crush it to powder in his claw.

"Just examining the purity. You know how it is." He said casually, trusting the captain was smart enough to know that show of strength wasn't a threat for him.
"If the spot is full, I'm happy to do gunner work. A pirate crew is always in need of gunners. You've been generous enough with your offer, I've got no reason to say no." It was a calculated answer. Kavo had of course heard of Axel Silver-tongue, but how much was myth and how much was the real man, he didn't know. If the captain was the type to get rid of a helmsman, or any sailor, just because someone better came alone… well, Kavo valued loyalty very highly, and that would be a blow to his impression of the man.

Axel's grin widened even further, perhaps his fathers genes made it possible to smile beyond the normal bounds. Perhaps not, and he was breaking his skin. It didn't really matter either way. He watched as Kavo crushed the coin, amused by it. Neither the mercenary nor the crab-man were subtle, but the silent conversation was highly amusing nonetheless.

He understood the hesitancy, he really did, who would want to serve under a Captain who would replace you? What ever happened to job security for the gods sakes! The Captain's smiles didn't fall, the tone of it changed. He looked.. Satisfied. The Karcaon really did seem determined to exceed all of Silver-Tongue's expectations. Strong, smart, and loyal to boot.
It.. Was a very, very good deal.

"No, no, you misunderstand me. We were talking in hypotheticals you see? I have been without a helmsman for.. Gods, a moon now?" Axel was a good liar, he'd been told it was all in the eyes. That wasn't the truth however, people watched far more than just the eyes. People watched your face, watched your eyes, even your hands when you spoke, trying to figure out the truth.

"I'd be glad to have you on my ship Kavo. You'll be a fine addition, keep the gold. And the dust if yah can collect it back into that lil' pouch, hm?" Silver-Tongue was a good liar because he always spoke in half-truths. Not quite a lie, not quite the whole truth. So his speech stayed the same constantly, no matter the weather or the validity of his words. Sure, they had a helmsman, but the man had been dead for a while now. Axel had called in a favor with an old friend, necromancers were useful people to know, if a bit odd. The Captain shivered at the memory, it really made his skin crawl, but one couldn't deny its usefulness. The old man was an odd duck

"You know where to find us. Lass, introduce yerself as well! Do whatever you want." Silver-Tongue's last two comments were for Aria, the girl looked antsy. He turned, looking around the tavern, and was greeted with a sea of eyes, many of which looked down at their drinks after he met their gaze. He sighed, shaking his head at the sorry lot, looked like Kavo was the only one of interest. He paid for everyone's drinks again and got busy chatting up some of the locals, place fillers for better crew.

Axel pulled hair away from his face, loosely tying to back to better show his face, people said seeing the whole face made people look more trustworthy. He snorted, he honestly wished some people would cover their faces more often.

The tall man leaned on the rickety bar, violet eyes flashing as he laughed, speaking to a particularly drunk man. Politely ignoring the smell of stale beer on the mans breath and the offensive way he existed. He held out a hand, still smiling, he'd often been told he looked like the Devil, making deals with mortals that they never really quite understood. Axel liked the comparison as he shook the man's hand, getting him to sloppily sign some scrap of paper he'd found for insurance. He liked it quite a lot.

Given her opening, Aria stood up quickly, knocking her chair behind her. She set it straight again and sat down. "I am Aria. And you're Kavo?" She asked, then tried to think of something else to say. "Helmsman, eh? And- all that other stuff you said, too. You must be pretty experienced." She continued to stall, waiting for something to happen. Everything for her was always fleeting, chaotic, and a gamble. Sometimes literally. It took her a hefty bit of control not to grab a deck of cards and place a bet- not even addicted to the money, just the rush of a solid win- or a cheated one, neither mattered to her. In any case, the returned air of slowness caused her to halt.

Kavo couldn't tell if Silver-tongue was rolling with the punches and lying through his too-wide smile, or if he'd just passed some kind of test from the captain. Either way, the man was crafty, and clearly much smarter than Kavo.
Traits he could admire in a captain.
He smiled and nodded as the man wrapped up the negotiations. "I do indeed know where to find you." The captain departed, and Kavo was left with the girl.
He glanced at her as he gathered the gold, dust and all, into the pouch, before stowing in one of the deep pockets on his vest. She was young and seemed very eager in her role as a pirate. Clearly she wasn't used to these things, but she was trying, and Kavo liked her immediately. Despite the fact she'd started out by drawing a sword.
"Aria. Lovely name. How long have you been with the Deceit, friend?" He asked, keeping the same smile.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw somebody moving towards Captain Silver-tongue at the bar. The same blasted bounty hunter from before, knife drawn.
"Excuse me a moment." he said politely, before surging out of the corner.

Karcaon are 6 legged creatures, which means no matter how they move, it always looks vaguely arachnid. Either the legs rippled, or they scuttle. In this case, Kavo rippled out from under the table, before making a leap over the next table full of customers. He got to the bounty hunter before the man got to the captain.
Of course, 6 chitin covered legs that come to sharp points make a lot of clatter on a wood floor, and the bounty hunter heard him coming. The man turned and jabbed his long knife at Kavo's eyes.

Kavo responded by catching the blade in a pincer, and snapping it off clean from the hilt.

There was a still moment in the pub, before Kavo backhanded the man with the other pincer, and sent him ragdolling out the front door. There was a faint splash, and the room settled into awkward throat clearing and murmering.

Kavo turned to Captain Silver-tongue and smiled. "I'll be down by the dock helping your men load provisions, Captain. We can shake on our deal once I've had a chance to look over the Deceit. I've heard good things." He turned and scuttled out the door, not swaggering, but not hurrying either.