I took over at the helm that evening. Since there was a stiff wind blowing along the water in our direction of travel, we surfaced to take advantage of it.
Working the sails with real wind created so confusion. Those who had learned beneath the waves and adapted most quickly found that they couldnt swim directly from point A to point B in the open air, and had to make the adjustnt. My crew really did have to learn different thods of sailing. Their skill levels showed it.
Id demanded that everyone have the seamanship skill by the ti the storm was over. If anyone had been late during my convalescence, I didnt hear of it. There wasnt a single person without at least one level in seamanship on board. Most new hands had gained 4 or 5, with experienced sailors gaining 2 or 3 themselves. The average amongst the crew was 8 a solid rating aboard any ship.
The danger rating of my ship had gone up appropriately. The ship had a danger rating of 2 just by being mine. With the improvent to the crew abilities and the addition of so artillery it jumped to 3. I had no doubt wed be at least 4 by the ti Sadeo and Abner finished the artillery deck.
With the XP Id given the lowest ranking amongst the crew via the quest and subsequent slaughter, I didnt have anyone below level 5 with most of the slave laborers between 5-8. Those slaves whod been professionals before being chained mostly had levels between 10-12, with so noticeable exceptions.
Hrothgar was a level 17 stonebreaker, which he told was a shock troop position in dwarven ranks. Krantoron the minotaur was level 25, but wasnt specialized in fighting and told minotaurs had odd attribute patterns, so his levels werent indicative of how hed fare against other races at the sa level. Zander was a level 21 spearman, and my highest leveled fighter.
The trouble was, they and everyone else at a high level were handicapped by . I was level 10, and as my cursed crew they were consigned to be at my level plus my leadership skill level, which was at 6. No one in the crew had effective stats above level 16. Those whod already leveled past it didnt lose those levels but had them locked away temporarily. The attributes theyd gained for those locked levels were also locked away, to be returned when I leveled up or leveled up my leadership skill.
And Jones had forbidden to level up myself for now.
So I stayed at the helm after wed set the sails and most of the crew was asleep below. I stayed up under the light of the moons for the selfish reasons of clearing my head.
Sailing at night was a different experience. Sailors at port lost their fear of the ocean for a ti, its vastness tempered by the land it abutted. They got used to sailing the waters during daylight, because you could see the horizons. But at night at night the moonlit waters of the ocean reminded you of how vast and expansive they were, how powerful, unrelenting and unforgiving they were. She reminded people how small and diminutive they were while in her domain. It wasnt that the sea hid much more tonight than just a few hours ago, but she dispelled the illusion people have that they can see what matters.
Even aboard a cursed ship ruling one of the powerful anomalies within the sea I was forced to rember that I was one of many. Not one of many servants of Davy Jones, but one of many filling the vastness of the ocean. There were denizens of the deep older even than Jones, who would laugh at my ship if they ever bothered to stir the waters.
And within that picture of being adrift in the vastness of unforgiving strength I found comfort. I felt like I belonged. Whatever it was about that registered as my Heart at Sea perk, it identified with the place the ocean put in.
I realized that soone was approaching the helm before I heard them. I did not have total awareness over my ship, but I did have a sense of things pertaining to it greater than normal Captains. Sure enough, Arnaith climbed up to the quarterdeck, smoothing his hair behind his slightly tapered ears and trying to act nonchalant. I disabused him of that pretense imdiately by demanding what he was doing up.
Startled, the boy jumped slightly. Just getting so fresh air. I was confident he was lying but didnt press.
I analyzed the boy as he moseyed around the quarterdeck. Everything about his stat sheet was what Id expect from a half-elf boy in his position. Minor skills in several fields, greater skills with theft and sneaking. There was one outlier to ntion to him, but I didnt know what to do about it yet: Tactician 4.
I didnt have that skill, but it had been easy enough to read about in my library. It was earned for showing careful planning before an engagent and resulted in a 5% bonus damage modifier for successful ambushes and strategies. It increased by rank, putting the half-elf boy at 20% greater damage already. I had no idea how the boy had earned the skill in the first place, much less leveled it up, but I didnt think Arnnaith would be willing to tell just yet.
How long until we get where were going? he asked.
Depends on whether whoever were eting keeps coming towards us. Two weeks, maybe.
Thats a fast crossing of the sea.
We dont have many of the limitations conventional ships do.
Arnaith nodded but didnt take the opportunity to ask about the strategic implications. Drat. Maybe hes not thinking about it? Maybe he got the tactician skill so innocuous way and isnt even looking to advance it?
Howd you like to be my assistant? I asked.
What? Surprise flitted across the boys features.
Sure. I could have better uses for you than working the sails. Your strength isnt a fraction of what most the crews is. As the boy bristled I added, And it doesnt utilize your intelligence.
Rather than let him keep the satisfied look on his face I kept going. Besides, you only got level 1 in seamanship. Thats the lowest we have on board.
Im not interested in sailing!
So where will you be going when I set you free?
The question made him freeze. Ho?
Wheres that?
Elessar.
Hate to break it to you kid, but youd have a rough go at it. I said. Im no expert, but from what I know of the place if youre not born there youre second class. Or worse.
Im an elf! he stated hotly.
I gave him a look. We all have to face our realities, kid. For , I was the single child of a retired whore-turned-indentured-servant. For you, youre only half-elf. It sucks, but thats enough to get you ignored by the pure bloods and hated by the racists.
Arnaith kicked the planks of the quarterdeck with his toe. It was an oddly boyish gesture from the kid. How are you going to be releasing your crew? Before my heart had ti to really start palpitating at his direct question to my insecurity he continued. Will you pull up to different ports and just let off whoever wants to go? I guess Id go with whoevers closest to where I want.
If you wanted to go there, I said. Id take you to Elessar. I just dont know when. Most people I free I figured Id do it on Antarus no risk of them becoming slaves again there, and they can travel where they want easily enough.
Youd sail all the way to the coast of Elessar. For a boy.
I keep my word, I said quietly. At least I always try.
Youd seriously take your crew anywhere? They could have you sailing around the seas for the next year dropping them off at individual ports!
Well, I might make a single stop per nation. And its a good thing there arent any Madu in my crew, because Im hardly their biggest fan right now and dont feel like stopping by Nilfheim.
We didnt say anything more for several minutes, until Arnaith quietly asked, So whats following you around going to entail?
Mostly running ssages and errands for . Youll essentially be my shadow.
Alright, Ill do it.
I held up a finger. Theres one condition. When I was sure I had his attention, I continued. I havent heard of anyone missing their things yet, but you dont do any pilfering among the crew. If you want to level your pickpocketing and stealth skills we can talk, but I expect to know of what you plan beforehand and approve. Agreed? The boy nodded. And if I ever catch you stealing from , I went on. Then Ill drop you over the side and leave you behind. Understand? I saw a bit more defensive fire in the boys eyes at my lack of trust, but he still agreed. Anything else you want to talk with about?
No, he said, declining the invitation to talk about his skills.
Very well. In that case move into my cabin. Youll get up when I do, and theres no sense having you elsewhere when I need you.
The boy obviously disliked being dismissed, but didnt drag his feet too much as he left. I stayed with my hand on the helm until the watch stander struck first bell, then had him get my relief. When I went into my cabin Arnaith was in a bundled blanket in the corner. He wasnt asleep but didnt say anything. I moved the lamp hed lit to its secure holder by my bedside and conducted my reading for the evening, this ti on my spell shocking touch. Then I gave my first real order to my new assistant.
If anyone wants to speak with , have them wait outside and try to wake . You might have so difficulty. Do not let anyone inside without my approval. Understand?
Yes, the boy responded, curious about my instructions.
I didnt elaborate what I was doing to him. It had been awhile since I felt safe enough to expose myself by sending my mind into Tadra, the ntal realm. It left my incredibly vulnerable body behind. The benefits it offered couldnt be passed over, though. So, with Arnaith as a watchdog, I returned once more.
The ntal realm welcod back, only my ship was slightly different. It wasnt a carrack like the Deaths Consort thank goodness but it had undergone slight changes. The tattered black sails were whole. There were streaks on the dark colored wood that looked like old blood, and there were rusted chains intermingled with the piles of rope.
The ship was a reflection, but accepted whatever reality I demanded. The chains disappeared.
I then experinted with shocking touch much like Id first experinted under Marcus guidance. You couldnt do normal magic in the ntal realm, but if you tried and didnt ntally affect the result you would get an imitation of the reality. For a novice spellcaster looking for what to expect, it was a wonderful tool a playground.
My reading had given so expectations and I tested them. Above water the spell was incredibly useful, and could even be channeled through tallic weapons. Underwater, the results were less than promising. It turned into an area of effect skill with at the epicenter. I took reduced damage from air magic because of my curse, but not to the point where I would willing shock myself as a thod of combat!
Then I practiced many of the other spells Marcus had shown here but which Id yet to pick up in reality. With enough practice, theyd co. Most people with magic never learned more than a few spells. Those who did got them through intensive study and practice.
Maybe I should practice my combat magic more with sea monsters. I tended to only use it when fighting people, but that was an oversight on my part.
I wrapped up with practicing water whip. I felt so close to expanding how many arms I could control in reality! I just had to cross the threshold.
Reluctantly, I departed Tadra and returned to my senses, told Arnaith his watch was done, and slept.
So people said sleeping late was a skill sailors had. Maybe that was true when hungover, but Id always woken early when there was work to do. Becoming a Captain didnt change that, much to Arnaiths chagrin.
I continued to push the crew to train hoping that the crew status would recognize their efforts and would help boost them along again, but it remained stubbornly void of benefit.
We sailed, trained, practiced, and slept. It was the routine of sailors, and I gave my crew the comfort of that routine. That wasnt to say we didnt mix things up. We practiced suddenly switching from sailing on the surface to diving and turning, surfacing only to turn again. The benefits of mobility my ship offered were overpowered, and I intended to capitalize on the disparity whenever possible.
I t with each of the crew and tried to understand them and their skills better. My goal was to know everyones skill and incorporate them seamlessly. I fell short of that goal, but I had a positive impact.
I t with Rhistel to go over the ships books really a pretense to have a talk in a different setting. The taciturn elf had shown a level of engagent in the storm dragon akin to my fascination with the sea, likely tied to his own perk Natures Empathy. It showed he was a person of hidden depths, and his willingness to treat as a normal person with all the lip-service of respect and deference a Captain could expect made want to know him better.
I spent a lot of ti with Sadeo for that sa reason though the kitsunes easy familiarity with was sothing I actually played up. He was the first mber of my crew, and he accepted not as a Captain but as a struggling man trying to do so good.
My ti with Sadeo and his team had nothing to do with trying to level my own artillery skill, of course. That was just gravy.
Burdette and I had several long discussions, during which he kept up his face of cordiality and deference. Hed accepted as Captain, it seed, but didnt like . I was a ans to an end.
Arnaith took to being my shadow with restrained enthusiasm. By the types of tasks I gave him, I teased out what he was really interested in. I was disappointed in the lad for genuinely having no interest in the nautical arts, though he did display a healthy interest in the ship capabilities and our course. Sadeos easy companionship also word under the boys defenses to the point that he relaxed while on the artillery deck.
After 13 days, the artillery deck was as complete as we could make it. Abner had done good work maintaining the structural integrity of the ship, and we had hardly lost any durability despite the modifications made. The Deaths Consort now sported 16 scorpion ballistae above decks 5 on port and starboard and three on bow and stern and another 20 below on the artillery deck with 10 on each side.
The sa day we finished the deck, I passed the block on water whip. The change in ntality was one of fluidity rather than think of each appendage as a whip to be controlled and lashed, you had to think of it as an arm. At the sa ti, you needed to spilt your conscious control over each. My first practice attempts had so of my whips jerk and freeze as I forgot to focus on them, but I quickly improved. The cap on the spell disappeared instead for an additional 5 mana I could form another arm, though the slow mana drain of maintaining each arm stacked up quickly. Initial practice gave a headache at 6 whips and a nosebleed at 7, so I didnt push any further. Being an octopus with it would take a bit more attunent.
The day after my discovery the winds started to die down, so we subrged to make best speed with the currents.
We were only a short ways from our destination.
Turn course two-five-zero, I ordered.
Burdette repeated the command, then reported when his compass indicated we were traveling my indicated heading. Any seaman could man the helm, but this close to our destination I wanted my first mate with his hand on things.
Whoever we were supposed to et, they had travelled southwest like they were being hounded. It was only when we closed in on them that I held the amulet and realized that they were underwater. That threw my expectations for a loop, as I imagined who Jones old friend in need could be. An old retired lieutenant perhaps? Was I going to et whom I was destined to beco?
Turn course two-three-five.
Turning course two-three-five.
Out of a sense of caution, I had us pass our target and circle around. A quick peek on the surface showed heavy fog, too thick to see more than a few hundred feet. We subrged again and circled back to our objective.
Alright lads, I said to my prepared crew. Well see him in a mile, no more.
They were all ard and ready for whatever might happen. I didnt expect whover Jones had sent for would fight, but they were obviously in trouble and had been fleeing for several hundred miles through the dian Ocean into the Passive from whatever it was.
Soone gasped, the first to see it. The word steady died on my lips as I saw and analyzed it a mont later.
Na
Vassaevi (Hydra)
Level
89
Health
54,000
Mana
16,000
Stamina
68,000
Jones old friend wasnt a person.
It was a legendary Hydra.
The crew muttered and even Burdette swore under his breath. I had the presence of mind to tell our gunners to stand down before one of them got an itchy trigger finger.
Vassaevi was an ancient hydra, known for killing Varinya the Dauntless who had her own incredible regenerative ability, which she claid was a match for Vassaevi. Though it was a tale several hundred years old, stories about it still survived. Vassaevi was one of the hallmarks of ancient stories and not all of them were by sailors. Hydra were amphibious and this particular one had plagued ports and cities more often than ships and fisherman.
Vassaevi was massive, with a blue colored body approaching almost 300 feet in length not counting the necks and heads of which there were myriads. Hydra didnt grow a head for every one cut off, but instead they grew a new one every decade or so, with regenerative capabilities that ant severed heads could regrow with enough ti.
Yet Vassaevi was not well. Of its many draconian heads, so dragged through the water lifeless. Others were visibly scarred and damaged. Many of its necks ended in stumps. It was ancient in power, but a far cry from the glory of its pri. Old age had worn it down.
Rhistel found his way beside . The poor thing, he said. I looked at him sidelong. Of the many things I could call Vassaevi, poor thing wasnt one of them. Yet Rhistel looked on the scourge of history and felt sympathy for it.
Rhistel, I said. I offer you the profession nagerie Master.
Rhistel looked at startled, then cocked his head. He was looking at , though, not a prompt.
Did you get an offer at a new profession? I asked hopefully.
No.
Fishguts, I said, and let the matter drop, knowing he was sensitive about his stripped forr profession. Id hoped it would be that easy. Maybe the elf could still earn the profession on his own.
Its suffocating. Rhistel continued, pointing at the creatures back. Can you see how its being forced down?
I looked, though I had to tear my eyes away from where so of the hydras eyes were watching forlornly. Of its tens of thousands of stamina, just scant thousand remained as it held its breath. How long had it been doing that? Had it been able to get breaths in the last week?
I could indeed see where the hydra seed to be forced downward by an invisible plane. That kind of magic looked familiar to
Take us to the surface, I ordered. Prepare for battle! Theres a ship up there with mages doing that to Vassaevi. Its our job to stop them.
The crew might have been conflicted about saving a creature that typically played a villains role in stories, but the promise of freedom after wed completed my mission and the calmness of Vassaevi won them over.
We surfaced with our best speed which is to say as fast as wed ever surfaced. Id have invested so XP in our ascent speed right then if Jones mandate had allowed it.
We saw the bottom of a ship as we rose not a warship, but sothing like a whaling vessel. It was alone.
Unease stirred in my chest, and my protective attitude for Vassaevi wavered. Could it be ?
We surfaced, the water streaming off Deaths Consort as she broke the calm waves and suddenly blocked the passage of the whaling vessel. Despite the lack of wind, my unnatural flag still sohow fluttered and waved. Despite whatever confidence I portrayed for the crew, my heart plumted. Despite the thick fog, I recognized the vessel that it was my mission to stop.
The Essential. The last normal ship Id served on before the ill-fated trip of the Wind Runner. I was going to et Captain Coe again.
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