Decadents and Dropouts IC

Ma'ant'Zek'Ur

And indeed delicious they were. The first one was specially savoury, as the many years spend into reading and decyphering the arcane arts had toned his grey matter into a vivid pinkish tone - both sour and sweet at the same time.

Although the taste was fulfilling, Ma'ant'Zek'Ur felt... not satisfied.

The others were... simpler. Their tastes both plain and watery, but never as suculent as the first one. Indeed, it had been some time already that Ma'ant had not devoured a mind. He had, however, breakend his absense of using his psionic capabilities in order to better interact with Phyliss, Relic and their companions... with mixed reactions.

And that alone had made him slow. Too slow. Gryph was a large creature, he should not have been able to outpace Ma'ant's movements - even if those were stepping into plain air instead of solid wooden deck. The illithid blamed his own abuse of his mental prowess over his new acquaintances. Of course. That should have dulled his senses.

For Ma'ant'Zek'Ur was a mind flayer of the Body-Tamer Creed. Only Relic should know it. Why would he bear such exquisitive weaponry for one of his species? He was one that, as the occasional monks did, abandoned the use of his superb mental capabilities in order to improve his martial, physic prowess, should he remain absent of using his species powers. And he had, both used and abused them. He should be ashamed of himself for doing it.

But that never meant he would show it for his peers... careful not to stain his exotic robes with the victim's blood, he dropped their bodies into the floor - mere carcasses that could only be used in undeath, now. His tentacles, crimson and slick with his prey's lifeblood, were another reminder of his recklessness. Perhaps he should consor with Relic once again. Only the drow could bring her soothing arms around his head and allow him to forget his migraine while hearing to her pumping heart.

Perhaps.

Ma'ant came down for the lower deck, where Gryph piled bodies. Quietly, he admired his own treasures, taken from the deceased wizards - some powerful scrolls yet unreaden, a wand, and a couple of rings. Perhaps he should offer them to Gryph - he had disposed the mages, after all. Maybe Phyliss or even Tronfur would make good use of the scrolls. Perhaps.

Perhaps.

Gryph

He glanced at the mindflayer and gave him a grin, then he dumped another body.

"Hope the meal was not too inadequate, from the look on your face it was not of the best."

He searched the last body, stripping it and dumping it on top of the others, gathering what he had gathered into a shirt, he hefted it. Then stopped to look around,

"I think Phyliss should think about keeping this one, it's big and sturdy, much better than the cog we are using now."

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss stopped researching the gun and decided to keep it as souvenir. She had heard Gryphs remark and thought it over.
"The cog is indeed a bit bigger and more sturdy... But I wonder, will anyone recognize it? And we would have to tow our one behind it, until we find a place to sell it."

Ma'ant'Zek'Ur

The urge to comment Phyliss' last thoughts was strong, but the illithid prefeer not to intervene anymore - at least, not taking away their sense of security even further. After all, more than one would think of his mental invasions so much like a sexual assalt, a violent rape of their minds. Instead, he turned to Gryph, his alien features unreadable under his hood.

"Not too inadequate, indeed. Although I thank you for the... favour...", the words were heavy and lurching, his voice as if he was about to spit gruel, "...I am more than capable in meleé myself. I prefeer to eat what I have killed myself."

"And perhaps she should. Perhaps she should. My own vessel was damaged in the combat, and even now my thralls...", he noticed his casual use of the word, but would not relent his speech in order to try and not offend Gryph, "...already patch it. Should she welcome me and my merchandise..."

The Body-Tamer left the words hanging into a declaration of... something...

Gryph

He grinned again, those fangs on display,

"Then maybe we can use you, a merchant who knows his way around buying and selling might get us so much more money than this."

He hefted the bag with his loot.

"And even if you are more than capable to kill your own meals, you must remember, I did not kill them. I spared their lives..."

He gave a low chuckle,

"Of course I only did that for them to die, but one does not attack without warning and expect mercy if you ask me."

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss leaned herself against Gryph. "Maybe the ida isn't that bad. We take this cog and get all our things and my crew on board. Then you might put one or two of your thralls on our boat to follow us. And then you will sell our old cog, and maybe yours as well, if you want to join us. Or maybe we just sell one of them and go on with two cogs."

Ma'ant'Zek'Ur

"Perhaps."

"Should you don't mind me and the way I must conceal my true features in order to excell at the art of haggle, well... you can count on my services."

He spoke, his voice sluggish as he took one tentacle against his concealed mouth in order to suck the blood away from his appendages. For now, Ma'ant would disregard the 'innocent' wordplay. No need nor use for dwelling in words with someone that would not listen.

"Good Phyliss, I would love to join you and your... exquisitive group of adventurers. I would only ask, them... what have you people been doing all this time? Simply trying to endure the prejudice of the Overworld's races, or have you been engaging in other enterprises as well?"

"I surely guess that these fellows...", he spread his arms, showing the piled up bodies, "...had to do with these probable enterprises..."

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss snuggled herself against the huge halfdragon as she spoke.
"You know, I aprecciate your abilities in disguise and think they will be very helpfull for us, because none of us has a good skill in posing as human. I have a way to hide myself to some limit, but no spell disguising myself being a gorgon works on me. As for enterprises, I did what I usally do to live. I think the reasons four our attackers are former enterprises of our poor Z. He is a shapeshifter and was hunted by some weird bald elf and some gloomy black knights. They attacked us in the harbour, and this was the reason for the blaze and destruction there. Z himself was poisoned and hardly survived, but he lost all memory and I think his ability to shift his shape as well."

Gryph

He smiled down at Phyliss and looked back at Ma'ant, sticking out one of his massive hands,

"Gryph is the name, I will promise to leave your food untouched in the future."

As an afterthought he muttered,

"Probably my burning of their ships to cover our escape route also had something to do with this attack Phyliss."

Ma'ant'Zek'Ur

With a nod of acknowledgement, Ma'ant examined the gesture interested before offering Gryph his own right hand. Although the half-dragon's claw was enormous and powerful, his own ruddy, long fingers managed to close themselves around his hand.

"Ma'ant'Zek'Ur is mine.", he offered his name after some moments of silence, considering the implications of sharing it once more.

"Your burning of the ships? Am I dealing with a pirate, then?", he asked into an humorous manner.

Gryph

After releasing Ma'ant's hand he chuckled at the joke, this mindflayer was not bad at all...if he didn't try to eat Gryph's brain. He puffed out his chest, placed his one leg on a nearby railing and rested one hand on the hilt of the short sword, the loot still in his other hand.

"That ye be matey, ye better not be a landlubber or ye'll walk the plank ar."

How he got to the words and attitude he did not know, but it seemed funny enough to fit in with Ma'ant's little joke. Then he sobered and lowered his leg from the railing,

"It was the only way that I could distract Z's pursuers, unfortunately some collateral damage was part of the escape attempt."

Ma'ant'Zek'Ur

Ma'ant's expression was so alien as to be completely unreadable unless one had lived through and closely to him, as Relic had, in order to decipher his emotions through his visage. His tentacles wriggled around quickly as he coughed wet, quick and gurgling sounds. It did not took much, however, for them to see that the illithid was in fact laughing, rather than drowning on his own moisture.

"I see. Rather a man that acts at what needs to be done. I can respect that. About this Z... a shapeshifter? Perhaps a creature I may share some knowledge about?"

He crossed his arms against his chest, his lidless eyes staring from Gryph to Phyliss, and back towards the hold of the vessel in order to check if Relic was done with her plundering and scavenging. Some things never change...

Trunfor Blackheart

Trunfor sighed as he set down the book. The ohters were above either plundering, killing, or whatever else that didn't even remotely interest him.

He also noticed that they seemed to have not noticed his absence. They were so obsessed with there... piracy...or plundering...scavanging...or whatever, that they were pretty busy.

Turnfor reflected back to his years, before he had met Gryph or Phyliss. They had been dark times and he had left many secrets and memories behind. Many of which were not good. However, there was one that he wished to attain, the reason for his need to go to Waterdeep. An item that meant more than anything. He didn't dare to tell anyone about, not now, and probably not ever.

Leaning back, Trunfor closed his eyes and began to relax.

(Sorry for my absense, I havent had internet access and I am currently using a tablet to write.)

Relic

The Captains cabin held little of sellable value, but among his papers she managed to find not only the official ownership papers of the vessel, but also other papers that held a reproducable official signature. Would it be so simple to walk off with a much more suitable ship. She would explain the findings when up on deck, in the mean time her eyes were drawn to the wall. Above a bookshelf was a large plain claymore. It seemed to hold an inscription of some sort down the blade and was tighly locked inside a wall hanging brace.

"Gryph! Found something you might like down here. . ."

Leaving the sword, Relic rolled up a map quickly and pushed it into one of her pouches. In case they didnt take the vessel.

Moving up onto the deck, she explained the deed to Phyliss and joined
Ma'ant.

<And I asked you, because I knew you would hear me. Gryph doesn't posses your useful trait. But yes, I suppose I also considered how nice a young brain could be.>

((Double post. Ignore this one.))

Ma'ant'Zek'Ur

<As soft as veal comparing to later beef, my dear. And after your earlier show, I believe it might had swoon your companions into a better... view of my situation. Masterfully played.>

<What do you plan on doing with the boy? Throwing him overside? Or... rope him up and allow me a dessert later on?>, his thoughts echoing in amusement as the mind flayer approached the dark-skinned elf. Although their last rendezvous had been quite... satisfactory, Ma'ant still wished to possess Relic once more... and more throughly, this time.

"That deed could prove very useful in the southern lands, but no so much if we head northwards.", he turned to Phyliss as he stood just by Relic, taking one arm to slid over her shoulders and pull her closer to himself. "Relic was wise in taking it. You should hold on into it. Ah, and dear..."

"We had just decided to keep this fine vessel as well. We should head downstream as soon as possible... my thralls deem their job 'lousy', but will keep my own vessel floating for the time being."

Gryph

It was clear that he was not needed here anymore, he slipped away passing from one boat to the other. Settling in he opened his backpack and started to stow his new loot with what he already had. After securing the backpack, he rested against it, he could remember that Relic had said there was something he should see, but as it seemed like they would be keeping the vessel he did not worry much about it. He was sure that at a later time, he could go and check what Relic wanted him to see.

Phyliss Ovida

As she feeled that Gryph would leave, she slided not only her arm but her whole body over Gryph as he escaped her grip.
She looked up to Ma'ant and Relic.
"So, very well, we keep this vessel. After all, it is our right. Amd I think that Gryph has respected you after all...Relic already did. I might have to reason with Tronfur, but I think I have found a way to get to terms with him after all."

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss looked over to the surviving boy. Maybe we could use another hand on deck, because we will have to travel on with three vessels after all. She looked over to the boy.
"Would you like to hire with me, mate? As long as you don't mind your captain has snakes, and ummh, breasts as well."
Then she looked back to her friends.
"And will someone get the old captain on my old vessel. I would like to wake him up and question him a bit."

Gryph

Gryph roused himself, slipped on his backpack and climbed back over to the attackers' vessel.

"I'll go fetch him for you, first want to go check what Relic wanted me to see."

He went down the stairs, ducking and stooping, only straightening when he got on the lower deck. He entered the captain's cabin and looked around, he noticed the large claymore and walked closer, a slow grin spreading over his face.

"Oh look Gryph, something to play with,"

he took the sword and with a light yank, the sword and its brace. Deftly he broke the brace from the sword and realized that it was even lighter than what it seemed. Sliding it into the scabbard he carried, he turned and ducked outside, picking up the captain he carried him topside and dumped him on the deck at Phyliss' feet.

Phyliss Ovida

"Thank you, Gryph." Phyliss looked at the captain, who was still uncoscinous. She send Z to get Tronfur; she thought he might be useful interrogating the captain. Then she kneeled down and released a healing spell on the former captain. As he came back to senses, she sat down on the reeling and looked down to him, curious if he would speak to hear first, or if he would wait until she would interrogate him.

(Will somebody please take over the captain for questioning)

Captain Bargul

He slowly woke up, he was not certain what have happened to him, but his head hurt like a drunken whore. He opened his eyes and looked around him, from the heap of bodies it was plain what had happened and he softly cursed as he tried to get rid of his bonds,

"What do you beasts want? Was killing not enough? Now you want to torture as well?"

He spat on the deck to show his discontent.

Phyliss Ovida

"You have bad manners, captain." said Phyliss in her cool voice she used for formal encounters. "After all I have healed your injuries. Imagine then...."
She turned her voice a little softer and sweeter, but still determined.
"...there is a poor little gorgon cruising with her friends and just tries to have a good time without anybody bothering them as it usual happens. She just escapes an assault by some maniacs and drives away as far as possible to be safe and meets some old friend on the way. Suddenly, without any warning, a ship with some mean, violent bad-asses attack her and her friends and another vessel out of nothing, for no reason then murder and bloodshed. But she and her friends are alert and finish the mean rascals off. But they captain survives, and the dear little gorgon even heals him and just likes to see how he behaves. And what does she see and hear?"

Captain Bargul

"Pah peaceful creatures my ear, you murdered peaceful citizens and burned boats of fishermen who lives by fishing. The only thing you have heard so far gorgon is the truth."

He wrestled with his bonds and noticed a figure to his side, twisting his head he saw the figure of Gryph. The size of the beast struck fear in his heart and he went dead quiet in his bonds. The beast just stared impassively at him, like some living statue, trying to figure out what to do with him. For the first time since he took the money for this cruise did Captain Bargul start to understand fear.

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss kneeled down to the captain. "What we did was all self-defence, and you know it. Don't forget I healed you. And if you spit on my ship again..." she glanced over to Gryph. "...HE will use your body to wipe it off."
The gorgon went down and used a dagger to cut the ropes, releasing the captain. She wasn't worried about getting attacked. She had her shields activated, had her snake venom and could turn the captain to stone if she wanted to. And if he was stupid enough to run, her friends would take care of him before she had picked up a crossbow. And she could do that really fast. She moved up again, curious how the captain would react after being unbound.