POOHEAD189

Damned to the Depths

Markus shuddered, but not from the cold. He had felt the sudden pull from lady Calliope, both magically and physically, when she had performed her spell. He had seen the blood that streamed down his cheek flow toward the woman like a forlorn lover, and the drawing of his blood felt like the kiss of a demon. He almost didn't have the mind to grab ahold of the mast as the ship bucked and spasmed, launching forward and plowing through the guardship.

So this is blood magic? He didn't even think she would have gone so far as to use that. Though judging from her look, she probably only half knew what she was attempting. The book was likely using her as much as she was using it. Wind, water, and snow slapped into him and he cling for dear life, simply glad the spell only needed a minuscule amount of blood or else he might have been sucked dry.

They charged through the Sea Gate, the towers Guns unmanned at the moment. With any luck they would be a sufficient distance away before the batteries had good artillerymen at the ready. Inside the bay, lower forms of artillery were quite effective. But on the open sea, it was best to have cannons overlooking the entrance. It seemed to not matter this time, for the Weather Witch was still moving strong as they broke through the Sea Gate and made it into the ocean beyond.

The Sea of Swords.

Calliope stepped down from the fore of the ship, looking like the cat that got the cream. Markus would have been attracted from the display if he wasn't so wary of her. A part of him told himself to run her through now and throw the book to the bottom of the ocean. But he calmed himself. She wasn't a fool. She likely would only delve into the tome in dire circumstance like they were just in, and with another steady breath he retrieved his sword and sheathed it.

"Well, that was fun." He said, now slowly getting into high spirits as he realized his freedom. "A blown up dock and a sunken Guard Cog. Shall we eat dinner and discuss our next move?"

It was a facetious request. The only 'dinner' there was, was Whiskey and Beef Jerky. But they did need to figure out where they were to go next, and the ship still had some momentum. Markus used this sudden lull to retie the mast he had cut down and to hoist it back up to its original position, pulling with his honed, cable-like muscles until the mast-log had arisen once more.
@Penny

Damned to the Depths

Markus quickly began to unwind the ropes from each mast, working with a furious energy that only desperation and a heightened sense of survival could bring to a man. But even then, he wouldn't have time to raise any of the sails save the lower topsails and top masts. Once he finished his work, he hastily put on his shirt and ragged coat again. Not out of modesty, nor protection. But more clothing meant the enemy might stab into cloth and think it would be flesh.

"Markus!" he corrected her, grabbing his sword and heading to the bow near the foremast. He knew she was used to servants but his name was borne of nobility, though that seemed a lifetime away. He rushed forward and grabbed a low hanging rope to keep him steady as he stepped up onto railing. There was wind but not enough. Calliope was right. They wouldn't make it to the Sea gate or the Mystical Watch Towers before they were intercepted. He could already see one of the guardship Cogs floating out of the bay.

Glancing Calliope's way, he saw the dark vixen weaving a spell. His pupil's burned from the spectacle, contrails of energy began to form in the air and her breathy incantation sounded near demonic. "Ho, you there!" a voice called from the ever encroaching Cog. The bulky ship, almost a curved square in shape, floating ever closer. If only they had the wind, even if the Cog outmaneuvered them at first they still could have outrun them.

Markus ignored the calling men. He went to one of the guns, pouring in black powder and pressing down the cannon ball he had lodged in there with the gun stick. The Cog was nearly a ship's length away at the moment, and there was no call from either Markus or Calliope. There was one last "Speak or you will be fired upon!" by who Markus presumed was the Captain. Markus didn't aim for the man, though he would have liked to. Instead he aimed for the mast. He was familiar with handling a Cannon, though he had done more with ship ballistas in the past. Still, they were now close enough to where it didn't matter.

He fired, and the cannon ball shot through the railing, ripping through a man's arm and tearing into the mast. Splinters flew and stabbed two other men, and the Cog clipped the very stern of the Weather Witch, causing both ships to jerk for but a moment. Shouts and yells could be heard. Markus collected himself, blinking through the dust and trying to silence the ringing in his ears when he saw a figure land on the poop deck.

An effete Elf, with a used officer's uniform and ears that poked out of his long brown mane. A sidesword was in his hand, and a crossbow in the other. He pointed the crossbow at Markus, who stopped in his tracks and froze with his sword. "Avast! Drop your sword and turn this ship around!" he ordered, his accent laden with pomposity and command. After a tense moment, Markus let out a breath and loosed the grip on his sword, relaxing the Elf for a moment before Markus then swiped left, cleaving through a rope of the mainmast. The Elf realized that above him, one of the sails was now hurtling toward his position and his instinctive shot went wide, embedding a bolt a few paces away from Calliope's chanting lips as she continued her chant, uncaring.

Both fighters had rolled in a dodge, and when they recovered they met in the center of the deck with flashing steel. After a few strokes, Markus backstepped, carefully making his way over the fallen mast to put some distance between them. Markus was notable for his swordsmanship wherever he went, but the Elf had decades, if not centuries of experience and the natural quick movements of his race to aid him. The borderland bastard was not out yet, cutting through the thrusts and stabs and deft cuts sent his way. He was desperate, fierce, and he had seen Elven swordsmen before. He knew a few of their key moves, and blocked and riposted far better than the officer had expected, seeing his wide eyed expression.

"Yield and you will see trial!"

"The trial of a mob is worthless, traitor!" Markus replied back in the Elf's native tongue. This sudden usage of the Elven language caught the officer off guard, and Markus caught the next and (likely) only lazy thrust the Elf would give in his life, and grabbed the slim arm to then carry the Elf over his shoulder and railing into the dark waters of the ocean. The sharp featured, handsome face of the elf surfaced moments later, and a voice was heard. "Man overboard!"

"By the Grace of Galena," Markus cursed tiredly, and wiped the blood off of a new mark now slit on his face. It was at that moment that the Catapults and Ballista, cheaper but by no means ineffective artillery, began to rain down on the water, slicing and crushing into the waves not meters from the Weather Witch. One catapult missile in the form of a 50 pound rock hit the deck and splintered wood. If the ship wasn't three decked, it might have done serious damage to the bottom hull. "How much more time do you need, Gods damn you!?" Markus screamed at Calliope.
@Penny

Grim Galaxy: Shots and Chances

Taya opened her mouth to speak, and then suddenly gained a small twinkle in her eye and a mischievous smile, and she stepped out of sight. In truth, Taya just didn't want to interrupt Neil, or explain that she sat back and allowed the events to transpire. She had gotten braver since they had all met, but she still felt wholly inadequate when it came to certain things. That and a few other sly reasons.

"Can I get a seat?" Neil asked, one of the last nurses that were exiting their section of the medbay gave a smile and nodded, providing a rolling chair. After they had made it into R.I.P. space, of course. Neil plopped down, and he was going to place his hand on the holster of his gun, but the familiar resting place was gone and he recalled they had taken it. Maybe he could get it back considering they were now working for them. Speaking of which...

"Well?" Junebug said.

"Well, the dapper fellow that you had the pleasure of meeting earlier is called York and he is our new boss. Or employer." He imagined Junebug would take the news better if he didn't make it sound so subordinate. "They took Sven and Saxon I don't know where. But they saved your life, and I think they trust me now because I helped this man York apprehend Saxon-"

"Spit it out. What could they need from us that they can't do themselves?" She asked.

Neil gave a guilty smile and waved with his branded hand.

She tried to laugh, but coughed instead.

Neil shrugged. "They want to get into the Ancient Ruins we were in. In exchange they'll give us our freedom. No more bounty, and some reward money. I think it's not a bad deal, and I accepted it. Hope you don't mind."
@Penny

Grim Galaxy: Shots and Chances

York gave a smile, though it was difficult to tell whether it was genuine or not with the impressive mustache. Meanwhile, Neil's smile was genuine. Not only Taya's affection for Junebug, but the fact that she looked like she would live. It was quick though, the smile. He heard various beeps and medical machines thrumming and he briefly wondered how such things work. He gazed intently at one of the contraptions, a tall cylinder with an oval head that read vitals through green waves on the screen.

"You should make a full recovery in the matter of days, Miss Cykali." York said. With her wits returning to her bit by bit, she began to realize the regiment she had believed herself to be in was not here, and she could afford to speak a bit less formally. "Captain Cykali," she corrected him. The man inclined his head as if to say 'fair enough.' "Where is my pilot?" she asked, a bit weakly after she had talked for a bit.

Taya waved Neil over, but he was too busy looking elsewhere. Taya then told Junenbug. "One second," and scurried over to literally push Neil over into Sayeeda's field of vision. Neil then got a good look at Sayeeda, and realized he had wanted to avoid seeing her so banged up. He played it cool though. "You feeling ok?" he asked her. "Next time don't slow me down." He joked. "When it comes to heavy weapons I get a little carried away."
@Penny

Damned to the Depths

Markus watched Calliope step onto the ship as if she had decided to become Queen of the sea rather than Tyrant of the Island. She would have that attitude for awhile, he imagined. Stepping onto the Weather Witch with her, he climbed the main lower topsail to get a better view of the town, though it would help little. The smoke and the elevation would hide much of what he would have liked to see. The moonlight illuminating the sun colored buildings was the best he found.

Markus let go of the rope and dropped down to the deck nimbly. "I didn't know if you had any magic of wind or water," he said, ignoring her tone for the moment. She had probably left her spellbooks back within her citadel. "It certainly would have helped, but I do have a plan for that. If you could, check the mooring line and make sure we're not hindered here in anyway while I go below decks."

He hustled down the stairs, telling himself he would only need to deal with this bitch for at most another few days. She was impressive in her way, but he was in no mood to play lackey. The fact that he had whiskey would help pass the time at least, he realized with a resigned sigh. In a matter of a minute, he stepped back onto the deck with a keg of black powder. There were only a handful of Kegs down there, but they would need to sacrifice one if they wanted to flee.

"Did you untie the mooring yet?" he called as loud as he dared. He made his way along the aft of the ship, dragging one of the many ropes attached to the back mast and placed the powder keg on the stern. The swordsman removed his top, the rags falling off to reveal the hard, cut muscles of his back and he tied the rope to his slim waist, placing the rondel dagger he kept into his teeth. Using another rope, he tied it to the belly of the barrel. Even if Calliope would give a word of protest, he didn't explain and simply leapt into the water with the keg.

Markus kicked hard in the water, moving the keg a relatively safe distance from the ship and keeping the keg upright. Taking the knife, he opened the top of the powder keg and tied the rope attached to the barrel to the bottom of the dock to keep it upright, and then he pulled back on the rope that had him attached to the Weather Witch, smoothing through the relatively calm water. There was a chance of sharks and it was another reason he had brought the knife, but he had to risk it.

He climbed back on deck, wet and breathing mildly. The borderlander reached for the swordbelt he had left behind and unsheathed his backsword, hacking off the rope that still connected the barrel to the ship. "Hold on!" he called, no longer concerned with subtlety. "Rath'funin" he muttered, and a coil of flame erupted from his outstretched, free hand and sailed through the air to impact the powder keg floating lightly.

The dock exploded, and the heat and debris cut into the Swordsman still on the stern, launching him, rolling, onto the aft. But they got their wave and their wind.
@Penny

NCQuest: A Mecha RP - The Defense of Darwin (BeeNCQuest)

*salutes*

Dark Streets - Urban Fantasy Noir

The Michigan Labor Legacy Monument

One of the few still working gateways between what the Norsemen call Midgard and various other planes, most notably the world of Faerie. It has not been used in many centuries however, and the monument itself is not the gateway, but was built around it as a covert symbol of its location.

The Detroit Windsor Tunnel

The tunnel that leads to Canada underwater. Due to its location, it is harmful and often fatal to some denizens of the night like Vampires. It is also reputedly a tunnel to Tír na nÓg, the old Celtic 'Other World,' or Asgard, depending upon your choice of trappings. Imps love to congregate here.

California Love -- An L.A. 90's Crime RP

Let's be civil fellas.

Into The Dark: Tales of Maroleth

I am busy this week friends, but I will try to post soon!

Introductions, I suppose.

Welcome to the site!