~ ⦽ ~ 11
Heading Downwind
Wind thrummed through iron-taught rigging as the Cleavermaw raced over the
shimmersea with the black disk of Noctis on the port bow, but small in the far distance. The
speed they were able to achieve running downwind, even this far from the
darkening orb, was exhilarating to the whole crew but Kaptain Mogrum was weary
of travelling in the summer regions and posted extra lookouts from the watch
who would normally be taking their turn below decks. He paid-off the
discontent this might have caused with the promise of extra rum at the end of
the day, and a reminder that the hand who first spotted a prize ship would have
first pick of the loot out of her.
Uzzog studied his charts and the log book, checking his calculations a third
time. He stuck his pencil behind his ear and looked at the Kaptain, he knew he
must pick his moment carefully and not speak if the boss was in a foul mood.
After watching for a few minutes and seeing that no one who spoke to him was
thrown overboard or blasted with green lightning he mustered his courage and
approached.
"Kap'n? A word?" he said.
Mogrum rounded on Uzzog and the shaman flinched, but he wasn't exploded so he
took that as a good sign.
"If'n we keeps on this heading for another day we'll sail clean through summer
and we'll be close on autumn in no time." said Uzzog, trying to sound like he
wasn't nervous. He swallowed hard when the Kaptain nodded but said nothing.
"But that will take us mighty close to Ciradyl Tower... and you know who's
a-hiding there. I ain't sure the hull will take the stress of any hard
manoeuvres until we’ve had a time to make more repairs." the shaman blurted.
Mogrum appeared to think about this for a few minutes, and Uzzog felt every
single grain of sand fall through the hourglass next to the helm.
Finally the Kaptain said quietly "It ain't no consternation to us, Uzzog mate,
we are over Idrelec waters and we has a letter of marque. If we sees another
vessel we can heave-too and chat all friendly-like with 'em. We ain’t going to
be battling no one today or tomorrow."
Uzzog's brow furrowed for a moment, as this concept settled in. He wasn’t sure
if the Kaptain was just placating him, or if he really wasn’t worried. The
extra lookouts were at odds with his words… he wasn’t about to argue though.
He tugged his hat and backed off, returning to the comfort of his thaumaturgic
compass and maps.
~ ⦽ ~
Picking up this old project again for Animosity III, since the Cleavermaws are
sailing around the Prime Dominion I thought they should have their skyship
ready for action before the end of the campaign!
I bought some black plasticard and started "repairing" the hull. I cut it into
irregular strips, roughly the same width as the planks on the Gloomtide hull, and scored them with a knife for a woodgrain effect.
I found an old Orc weapon and replaced the figurehead's hammer with a much
more thematic cleaver, and added a few more bits-box parts to detail the stern
and the deck.
I need to sort out extending the mast a little and add a sail or two.
The Cleavermaw in flight!
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