General Information/Events/Manacle Debacle

From Westaven

The following event plays an important interlude in "The Scroll, the Oracle, & the Holy Isle" sequence of events.

I. Strange Passage
In order to hasten south from Eneini to Glynnlyn in pursuit of their sole lead concerning a mysterious scroll, Yule, James, and Gereth paid passage onto an atypical travel boat: the slaver ship Manacle. On October 22, 985, Yule booked passage to Fish Side. Despite James's opposition; Yule's knowledge of the docks, sailing, and the reputation of the ship's master(Immure) favored the decision.

II. Strange Bedfellows
On October 23 the three men boarded the Manacle, meeting its crew--as well as a man who would become a long-term traveling companion: the Mawk'hidu entertainer Nak'hat. As part of his passage Yule worked the riggings, and as a result he rubbed elbows with the sailors more closely, earning him friends such as Binbear. In addition, though, he was directly subject to the harsh, possibly excessive discipline of the ship's rattan-wielding boatswain, Gore, a giant Mawk'hidu; in fact, on that first day at sea the man struck Yule across the chest for not moving quickly enough. In general, though, the crew avoided the passengers, except the dimwitted, child-like sailor Zink, whose wound (delivered by Gore) Gereth tried to heal--fruitlessly at first, but succeeding the next day.

III. The Conflict
The third day at sea brought conflict for all the passengers, and ultimately death for one. First, they watched Gore savagely throw Zink into the hold. Then, later, the giant boatswain challenged Yule to a game of "split the wench" (a knife-throwing game), which Yule lost. But Gore then--incensed and defiant against all reason--decided to forcibly use Gereth's "slave" (i.e., Nak'hat)--whom he had insulted on multiple occasions before--as the game's target. Gereth casted a spell to defend Nak'hat, which only prompted Gore to attack "the priest" instead. This ship's crew was deeply prejudice against religion. Luckily, the Master's Mate, Derrizi, stopped the impending brawl, ordering the boatswain to the hold.

But the situation continued, for James had been on the hatch ladder during the escalating violence, and he ducked below before Gore's descent. Hidden in the shadows of the hold he witnessed Gore "let his rage spill out through his fists and arms, all onto Zink." Gore beat he boy to a bloody pulp, possibly even crippling him. In response, from behind James stealthily slit Gore's throat and stabbed him multiple times, ultimately downing the giant man. He swiftly hid the body as best he could, then alerted the midshipman that Zink was hurt.

IV. The Aftermath
Confusion and rising tension followed. Gereth healed Zink, Gore's hastily-hidden corpse was discovered, and James was brought on deck as prime suspect in the boatswain's "murder." He was the only suspect, in fact, for the deck stacked against James included 1) being in the ship's hold when discovered; 2) being blood stained; 3) Zink's (muddled) testimony; 4) having been seen earlier heading down the hatch; 5) perpetually lying about any involvement whatsoever; and so forth. After an extended discussion, and despite attempts from Yule and Gereth to soften judgment due to the brutality of Gore's attacking Zink, Derrizi issued judgment: "on the Manacle, life taken is paid for by life spent." As per maritime law, James was to be executed.

James drew knives and mounted a hopeless defense against the entire crew, but even despite Gereth's attempt to place a shroud of mystic darkness on the deck (so as to, in his words, "try and put a slow simmer on all the hot blood coursing through these men") and Yule's weak attempt to calm the sailors, James was knocked unconscious, bound, and immediately decapitated.

V. Landing
Six days later, and with no love lost from the crew of the Manacle, the three surviving travelers were deposited on the docks of Fish Side, where they continued their investigation of "The Scroll, the Oracle, & the Holy Isle".