Pirates: Chaos Rising

[Qoorl]

PIRATES
CHAOS RISING

It is a time of upheaval a change. A group of disparate Pirates, thrown together by fate and lust for adventure stumbled upon a plot that could very well spell the end of Creation. Following the random wanderings of their mad captain, the crew fell upon adventure after adventure. They joined with the beast tamer Cho'kar and slowly began to unravel the mystery of the approaching Chaos. Prophecies of a great Ending led them to find the Oracles scattered throughout the world.

At last they found the first Oracle, learning a great deal about themselves and snippets of lore about the ending. A being fashioned by the encroaching Chaos attacked the party, attempting to drain the Khornite Ervan to make itself whole. In the end they set of to the East. To the Land of the Dragon Kings, their to find the answers to their questions.

The pirates sailed on, losing companions and facing many dangers at sea. They never even realized that the winds of Fate had taken them along a different path and that they had arrived even nearer to their destination than any had hoped. A swift arrival without peril was not to be however...

The Seas had become stormy, and though land had been sighted, a more pressing matter had presented itself. A great boat, forged of Iron was bearing down on the Red Hand's vessel. Aboard it Calamity stirred. His crew, creatures of shadow and smoke chittered to him, telling him that his goal was near.

The Crimson armored figure stomped on to the deck and looked across the way. The Red Hand was barely visible through the sheets or rain that pelted down, slicking the deck. Partially formed facial features contracted into a rictus like grin. One armed raised to point toward the pirate's ship. Instead of a gauntlet there was now the barrel of a demonic cannon, shaped into a leering snarl. Energy coalesced about the arm for a moment, the eyes on the weapon's face glowing. The arm jerked as a blast of energy surged outward, a massive ball of roiling fire and darkness that seemed undaunted by the rain and the wind. It smashed into the Red Hand's ship, rocking the boat and sending wood and metal flying.

"Well, that was a definate hit, it looks like we may be in deep shit!" Dart sang out, clinging to the rigging.

Ervan raised his head to look out at the enemy vessel. One Eyebrow raised as he barely made out the crimson armored figure.
"I'm SURE I killed him already!"

"Farfanugan!" Captain Kitsa bellowed out, swinging wildly from the crow's nest.

Siren worked to calm Waverrunner, preparing to swim the dog to safety should the hit prove fatal to the ship.

Rajah, the great Gauvedan that belonged to the missing Cho'kar pawed the deck and rumbled dangerously.

Below decks, Jergalzad stared at the withered arm, his glove lying on a desk beside him. He dreamed idly of revenges to be had and unholy lusts to be slaked. The Arabian had seen the loss of at least two companions now, but the one's he truly coveted remained safely aboard. Time to ensure that they survived.

"Oh No, No No No, This is not good!" Sigured whined, looking about for some safe place to hide, and praying to whatever god's would listen that he could escape death again.

THe others scrambled about attempting to salvage the ship. Until the second blast hit and the hull began to split in twain. It was then that everyone began to look for a way to survive.

Calamity had struck and the ship was lost, only time would tell if any of the adventures would wash up on the shore, and if they could find each other in such an event.

[Solly]

"Well, that was a sure 'it, i' looks like we're in deep shit!"

Fix'd.

[Qoorl]

(( OOC: SIgn Ups are in the other thread Solly, get too it, son.))

[The Editor]

Ervan leaned against a palm tree and sighed. Shipwreck, the worst fate of a pirate and a warrior. Left to die on some godsforsaken island in the middle of an empty sea.
"This was not part of the plan," he murmured to himself. His clothes were hanging on a nearby branch, as was his bow. He was glad he hadn't lost it in the mayhem; Keke would've killed him. And after all that effort she'd put in to make it and train him to use it... Although he still preferred his little cannons, as Keke liked to call them. Stretching he considered his options. With luck his friends survived and were somewhere on this island. He cut down the branch and placed it over his shoulders, then began to walk.

[Keke Le Cat]

Something tickled Keke's nose and niggled her mind. It was so warm and comfortable, she didn't want to move... But there was something she should be doing. Something important... She wiggled her toes in the sand and tried to remember what it was. Wait... The sand? She cracked one glittering emerald eye open and looked around.

A single palm tree swayed above her, and the sun gleamed out of an azure sky. A few powderpuff clouds drifted by... It was so pretty. But why was she there?

“A beach!” Both eyes popped open and she scrambled to her feet. “Why am I on a beach?”

She looked around frantically, one hand going to her head. Blood matted her silvery hair to the back of her skull and her shirt was torn. She had her backpack slung over a shoulder, but she had no idea what was in it.

Where was everyone else? Wait, who else would be here? Where am I?

Keke frowned in confusion and fought a wave of nausea. Her head was splitting, and she couldn't form a proper thought to save her life. And her life almost surely did depend on her ability to think, at the moment.

Should she search for her kin or fend for herself? A shelter and fire would be necessary come dusk, but it was barely noon. She glanced again at the sun's position in the sky. It was not yet to it's zenith. She had plenty of time to look for... someone. Who?

Hand still held to her head, she wandered a bit aimlessly down the beach, picking up dried driftwood as she went. Her mind kept drifting, and she fought dizziness with every step.

[Solly]

A seagull pooped on him. Dart looked up disdainfully at the seagull as it cawed and flew away. What a way ta wake up. This was the fifth time he had woken up, although Dart did not know over what period of time. The only reason he had been keeping track of how many times he had woken up was that there was little else to do, other than hunt. not that he could eat what he hunted anyways. The stomach virus Dart had obtained wasn't working very well with his digestive system.

Dart looked around the crow's nest. What a decrepit thing it had become. Or maybe it wasn't that decrepit and Dart had just become tired of staring at that one corner for who knows how long. He switched his gaze to another corner, but there was little difference. It was a crow's nest, not a mansion. Dart keeled over and vomited, then went back to his same position. Nothing had changed.

Suddenly there was a little bump, and Dart's eyes focused again. He noticed the sea was moving differently behind the rail of the crow's nest. He waited a few minutes, then roused himself. Ge got up and looked around. Sea. Sea. Sea. Land. Dart sighed. Then he looked again. LAND! A beach, with yellow sand. But most importantly it was stationary. Dart got out and laughed. Then he collapsed into the sand and fell unconscious.

[Jason854]

Tzeench, where are those spell components, Elsant thought. Hmm... maybe he could MAKE the glass needed! He'd just need a good container for the sand. A good log could work for it, although he should find a nice piece of driftwood, because it would be too hard with a regular tree. He had been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't noticed a shipwreck along with a person. Gee, how long has it been..., he thought. "Hullo, there person!" He said. No answer. He must be unconscious. "Hmm... save or human sacrifice, to save him or to sacrifice him..."

[The Editor]

After three days of walking without food or water Ervan was on his last legs.
"Guess I'm paying the price for not learning how to look after myself," he thought. "If Keke were to see me now..." Stumbling forward he reached out for a handhold that wasn't there and fell forwards into the sand. He lay still for a minute, then pushed himself up an inch before falling back down.
"Okay, I'll have a nap," he said to himself, closing his eyes.

- - -

Hart sat on a pillar of rock in the centre of a small clearing within the forest. A spark of lightning flashed through him as he tried to work out why he was there. Perhaps it had something to do with the complete lack of life here?

[Keke Le Cat]

Keke continued winding her way up the beach, she had amassed quite a little cache of driftwood. Some of it was painted, or intricately carved. One seemed to have a bit of lettering on it, but nothing she could make out. It would all burn well, and that was all that mattered. There seemed to be quite a lot of wood lying about, and she couldn't begin to imagine why.

After walking for a while she came across a human lying in the sand. She was curious as to why he would be napping on his tummy in the sand during the noon day heat, she didn't think he was working on his tan. It seemed unlikely, anyway.

Bending over, she poked his shoulder. “Hey you. Whatcha doing? Where am I? Mister?”

He didn't move. How rare.

Kneeling beside him she pushed him over onto his back. “Hey. You shouldn't sleep here.”

But still, he didn't move. How very rare.

“Human! I said you shouldn't sleep here!” She shouted into his ear. He groaned and mumbled under his breath, but he didn't wake.

Standing, she stomped off brushing the sand from her knees. She had bigger things to worry about than some drunken human asleep on the beach. After going no further than ten feet she paused.

Glancing back over her shoulder she saw a tiny crab skitter over the human's hand. She felt guilt bite into her as the crab bit him, which seemed odd to her for some reason. Which was odd in itself. Why would it be strange for her to feel guilt? It was a normal reaction to what she was doing. Abandoning a prone man alone on the beach. It was common decency to care for a felled traveler... wasn't it? Why did she have the urge to go through his pockets, if that were the case?

Huffing, she jogged the short distance back to him and stood over him rifling through her bag. She knew what she had been looking for when she found it. It was a goblet encrusted with gems and with the words, “Drought Resistant Chalice” engraved on the side.

She couldn't say how she knew how it worked, but she did. She covered the top with her hand and when she removed it, it filled with water. She splashed it into his face and said, “Wake up!” She slapped him lightly, "I said, wake up for Freyr's sake!"

[Solly]

Dart awoke. He opened his mouth to find a nasty taste in his mouth. He scraped his tongue to find it covered in sand. Dart spat and found his mouth was too dry to do so. He sipped some seawater, only to spit that out too as he remembered it was saltwater too late. After several minutes of tongue movement and scrapping with fingernails Dart's mouth was finally empty.

Dart looked around the beach he was stranded on. It was barren as far as he could see, although it did bend not far off. He looked at himself. All major limbs appeared to be there. His shirt was covered in sand, salt, and vomit. He quickly washed it off in the water. Dart reached into the crow's nest and retrieved his quiver and rapier. He was glad he had taken his satchel with him up the crow's nest.

Looks like I'm all washed up. Dart threw his head back and laughed for the first time in days. It was relieving, so he laughed even louder. He stopped abruptly and started walking along the shoreline, looking for civilization.

[Keke Le Cat]

Keke's head jerked up as she heard a peel of laughter ring out not too distantly. It seemed familiar, but at the same time it was absolutely preposterous that it should ring any bells, so to speak. "What was that?"

[The Editor]

"Probably death," said Ervan, opening his eyes. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the woman standing over him. At first he thought it was Keke, but she would never let herself look so dishevelled.
"Are you Keke's sister or something?" he asked.

[Keke Le Cat]

“What?" Keke asked, her eyes going wide. Was he joking? What sort of joke was that? “Death?”

"Are you Keke's sister or something?" asked the strange human.

“No.” She shook her head, sending her blood matted, feathery white hair flying. Then flinched in pain as the sudden movement reminded her of her headache. “I mean, I don't know. Am I?”

Hand held to her forehead she pursed her lips and puzzled over the question. Did she have a sister? What an odd thing to be unable to remember. “It seems manners would require I introduce myself at this time, but I am unable to remember my name at present. Or even if I have one. I think I must, but that would be an odd thing to forget, wouldn't it? So maybe I don't. Do you? I think everyone must.”

She thought back as hard as she could, but there was nothing before she awoke on the beach. The noon day sun was glaring overhead, and she squinted her eyes as she looked down at the stranger.

[The Editor]

"My name is Ervan," he said. "And seeing as Keke never told me she had a sister, I guess that means you are her, appearances to the contrary. Although as you say, you can't remember. Do you know anything about where we are?"

[Keke Le Cat]

"Keke?" She tilted her head to the side and bit her lip. He seemed to think he knew her, but she didn't know him. It was all so puzzling, and her head hurt so badly. It didn't bare thinking about. "Well, everyone must have a name, mustn't they? And that one will do as good as any. Keke it is then."

She nodded decisively, mind made up.

"As to where we are... This is a beach." she said smiling proudly, "There is more beach that way," she motioned over her shoulder with her thumb, from whence she came. Then pointing forward, she added "And even more that way. It's a very beachy beach. There are even shells and bits of wood and sand all over. I saw a crab!"

Pointing to the pile of wood where she had left it to attend him, "I am going to make a fire. It seems like the best thing to do. Maybe we could have tea?"

It was odd that she should look for reassurance in something she knew she should do. But there were so many odd things afoot that one more oddity didn't seem to matter. "What do you think we should do? Why are you here and why am I? None of this seems... right. But I can't say why."

[The Editor]

"I think we should try and survive for now. Is there anything I can help you with?"

[Keke Le Cat]

Tapping her chin with one finger, she thought about his request then remembered how they had met. "If you don't mind me saying so, this was an odd place to choose to nap so soundly. Perhaps you are unwell? Yes. I suppose you must be. You should sit down in the shade and perhaps consider drinking some of this water."

She chivvied him under the shade of a nearby palm tree, and pressed the filled goblet into his hand. "Sit."

Piddling around, she busied herself with building a pile of kindling and finding some dry tinder to start a fire. As she worked, she kept getting distracted and forgetting what she was about. She paused to pick a small yellow flower she found growing at the edge of the jungle and tuck it behind her ear.

After amassing what she considered a sizable pile of lumber, mostly bits of wood she'd found on the beach, she considered how to light it ablaze. Everything in her satchel was wet, and so would be any matches she possessed. She couldn't remember if she had flint and stone available. She thought about it for a moment before she said, "I can swim in pie. In my mind. That's imagination," she grinned proudly. "I can't figure how to light the fire and now I'm bored. What do you reckon is in the jungle? Wanna go explore? Are you feeling better? Why were you napping? Do you suppose there are ruins in the jungle? Or maybe a hotel. Or pie! Or maybe just some dry matches. We need to build a shelter, or find one, or something. We could use branches from those palm trees to make a lean-to. I mean, what if it rained? We'd get wet. That's what if it rained! My head hurts."

[The Editor]

"Perhaps you should slow down a bit," said Ervan, sipping water from the goblet. "Try and gather your thoughts. Prioritise." He paused for a second. "I think you're right about building a shelter. I should be able to help you in a minute or so."

[Keke Le Cat]

(Irish Elves on Lost Priority #1: Tea.)

"Prioritize my priorities. Gotcha." She ticked them off on her fingers as she listed them. "One: A fire for tea, assuming I have some in this satchel which does seem very highly incredibly likely. Two: Exploring the immediate area to search for enemies. Three and four: Perhaps find a shelter and a substantial source of fresh water, if not then we will have to build one. Not water, you can't build that, silly boy. What a suggestion! I meant a shelter." She nodded knowingly, crossing her arms. "And all before nightfall. That, and pie and a hotel. In that order. Priorities. We have our work cut out for us. Well, hop to."

Keke found herself on her knees holding her head in both hands. She didn't remember kneeling. "Oh, my head really hurts."

[The Editor]

"You should rest, Keke. Have some water." He handed the cup back to her.

[Keke Le Cat]

"Great observation, Captain Astonishing." She said, eyes squeezed tight with pain, "You are the one who said to prioritize! Aren't you just full of helpful advice."

She immediately regretted her harsh words. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you."

It felt odd to apologize, which was odd in itself. Oh rarity, thine name is Keke.

[The Editor]

"I think you should sit down in the shade. Neither of us are in a condition to make progress at the moment."

[Keke Le Cat]

Possibly for the first time in her life, Keke sat down and did as she was told.

"So, we umm... Know each other? What is our... association?" She asked, eyes wide and blinking. (Oooo awkward!)

[The Editor]

"We're..." Ervan thought for a minute. "We're friends. Have been for over a year. We, um, we have fights sometimes, but I like to think that we get along."

[Keke Le Cat]

"Friends..." She said the word as though it tasted strange, or as though it was something she had never before considered in her life. As she spoke, Keke rummaged through her bag and came up with a hair brush and hand mirror almost by instinct. "I am an elf?" It held a bit of a question, "And you are not. But we are... friends? Hmm..."

"Do we ever find that strange?" She said as she brushed her hair, holding the small mirror in the other hand. "Would we find that strange?"

Working her fingers through her hair to remove a particularly stubborn tangle, she frowned at her reflection. "Good gods I look a fright, what happened to my hair? Is that blood?"

Realizing her words, her eyes widened and she looked at the brush as though she had never before seen it in her life. Then blushing she shoved both back into her bag.