An Atlas Odyssey

[TheSzerdi 79]

My crew and I successfully navigated the maiden voyage of our schooner, the QFS Billy Mays. We'd sunk three ghost ships on the way and sorely needed a rest. We took on water and supplies in a Freeport. Short only on metal stock, we set sail once more.

 

Before we'd even cleared the harbor one of the crew spotted something. A bottle floating near the shore. It held a treasure map! The island on the map wasn't too far, so we came about to port and set our sails to the wind.

 

The treasure island was surrounded by ghost ships, but with some skilful navigation and the poor sailing of a doomed sloop, we made landfall. Locals quickly contacted us. We claimed to stop merely for supplies before moving on. They seemed friendly enough and did not appear to question our stated purpose.

 

Two of my crew went ashore with the dinghy while I stayed aboard to keep an eye on the shiftless golems manning our sails. Lucky it was that I did. The “friendly” locals suddenly swarmed over the aft rail in a treacherous attempt to seize our ship.

 

I barely managed to whip the shiftless golems into raising anchor and get the sails half up before being forced from the wheel. I fired all four of my pistols to no avail. Down to my pike, I managed a fighting retreat into the crew quarters. There I reloaded while muttering spells to summon my crew.

 

With my crew aiding me by providing distraction I was able to sally forth. Pistols reloaded I fired upon the enemy and slowly reduced their number. Back to the cabin to reload, then sally forth again.

 

The last boarder was a giant of a man in full plate armor wielding a gigantic mace. He absorbed two of my pistol balls as the bites of a mosquito. My last pistol boomed, but I'd missed and I drew my pike as he bore down. I danced away from a swing that would make a bear proud and just as quickly darted back in stabbing. The pistol wounds must have been more telling than they appeared, for he fell dead at my feet. The ship was ours!

 

To die with! The damned were on us! Flaming green cannon balls fell like rain as the leviathan bone ships gave chase.

 

I took the wheel as my crew manned the aft chase cannons. We ran and fought, but the damned would not relent. First one, then another, fell beneath our guns. Still they came on.

 

Our beleaguered ship was holed in too many places. Our metal shortage now keenly felt. We bailed and boomed. We cursed and ran. But the Billy Mays was sunk and her crew lost at sea.

 

Refusing to give in to the damned or despair I began swimming north. I swam and swam. Till my arms ached and I felt myself about to slip beneath the waves. Just as I thought I would die my hand slapped on wood. Saved by some flotsam!

 

I was exhausted and parched. Damn whoever famously said it. Water, water, all around, but not a drop to drink. Carefully I sifted through the flotsam that I rested on. A few coins, bits of parchment, and AH-HA! A bottle of grog!

 

Reinvigorated and with new hope I began to swim north again. As I crested each wave I could see a smudge upon the horizon. Slowly they rose, forming rocky hills, but still so terribly far. The small bottle of grog was wearing off in the worst way. I was dying for a drink.

 

I'm not sure if the gods are in disagreement over my fate, but it certainly seems to waver between extremes. It rained. I swam slowly on my back and drank in the life giving sky water.

 

Finally setting boot to sand feeling like one of the damned myself, I'd made it to land. My clothes in tatters, but my tools still strapped to my body, I would live. Near to starving and thoroughly exhausted I managed somehow to catch a chicken and cook it before passing out by my fire.

 

Dawn brought new hope and new fears. I saw structures in the distance. The island was inhabited. Would these too present a friendly mask hiding wolves teeth?

 

I skinned and gutted a few more creatures less wary than myself as I scouted around the island. I found an isolated house near some docked ships that had tool shops readily accessible around it. I couldn't resist the tannery and the chance to put my finery to rights.

 

“Don't make any sudden moves and don't try to board the ship.”

 

Caught red handed! I fell upon the mercy of the local and explained briefly how I came to his shores. He took me to his leader. To him I gave a full accounting of my tragic tale and he graciously gave me leave to craft what boat I could to go in search of my crew.

 

With a truce in place and my finery restored I go now to build a raft and set off in search of my comrades.

Edited December 29, 2018 by TheSzerdi
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