The Drunk Elf Pirates and the Quest for the Wine-thieves

[Earniel]

*The morning was still very young, when a battered ship quietly entered the port of Mithlond. The night-fog hid their arrival and the ship moored on one of the side piers. Nobody seemed to have noticed its coming, but an observant passer-by might have heard a hushed conversation.*

Sicirus: So this is Mithlond, you can hardly see it in this fog.

Eärniel: Consider it an advantage, and um.. Sicirus, aren't you forgetting something?

Sicirus: No, what?

Eärniel: Get that Jolly Roger down, will you? If the fogs lifts and people will see it, they'll use us for target practise!

Sicirus: Darn, forgot about that. Sorry. *goes off to lower the pirate flag*

*The ship goes silent again, a few minutes later a single shape in the mist can be seen leaving the ship and heading for the portbuildings. Inside one of them Cirdan the Shipswright is still working on a new design for a swanboat, when somebody knocks on his door. When he opens it, he finds a familiar face behind it.*

Eärniel: Hi granddad. Long time no see.

Cirdan: Well, well, indeed. I haven't seen you here for quite a while, Eärniel.

Eärniel: We-ell, I suppose it might have something to do with that large crowd that chased me out of the Havens the last time I was here.

Cirdan: So what brings you here now?

Eärniel: I'm in need of a bit of help.

Cirdan: *raises eyebrow* Still in that pirating business?

Eärniel: That depends. Which answer will get me what I need?

Cirdan: Haven't changed a thing, I see. What is it that you need this time? Nothing that is illegal, I hope.

Eärniel: *flops down in a chair* Oh, no. It's perfectly innocent. I need to have our ship moored for a couple of days to make some repairs, some timber and material for said repairs, and supplies for a long voyage and ditto crewmembers.

Cirdan: I can let you stay for 5 days, after that it'll get tricky. I can also get you the materials and the supplies - don't bother to pay for them, I'm not sure whether I want to know where your money comes from. As for the crewmembers... maybe you can help me there for a change.

Eärniel: *curious* Oh?

Cirdan: A month or so ago a heavily damaged ship sank before the Havens. We only managed to save some members of the crew. I surmise it was a pirate ship but the survivors aren't talking about it. They have been in my Havens ever since and they seem to be doing nothing but drinking.

Eärniel: Sounds like people who wouldn't be terribly out of place on the Nal... Where are they staying? I'll check them out. No promisses though.

Cirdan: In the Red Swan Inn. If you can take them off my hands, I'd be grateful.

Eärniel: Thanks granddad. *rises from seat to leave*

Cirdan: You know, I always wondered why you call me that. As far as I can remember there are no family ties of that kind between us.

Eärniel: *grins* I know. But I love to see you shiver once in while at the thought of having me in your family.

Cirdan: Get out before I start to wonder why I always end up helping you, you hopeless youngster. *just when Eärniel is about to leave he adds:*And remember Eärniel, 5 days. 5 quiet days and then I want to see half an ocean between your ship and my Mithlond. You can get the repair materials at the warehouses near the water.

*After this Eärniel leaves again and heads back to the ship to report the deal with Cirdan and the prospect of new crewmembers.*

[Nurvingiel]

*Nurvingiel had taken her time journeying west from the Forsaken Inn. She had stretched her earnings by sleeping outside most of the time, and doing odd jobs between her frequent stops at pubs.
Now, she had arrived at Mithlond. She had decided this course while still in the fair land of the Shire, but she still wasn't sure why. Now, as she looked out at the beatiful harbour, something stirred in her heart that she never felt before.
She had never seen the sea, but now she felt a strong desire to sail.
Nurvingiel walked through Mithlond, past warehouses and shops, and found her destination without much trouble - the Red Swan Inn. The first thing Nurvingiel did in any town was have a pint or two at the local pub, and she liked the look of the well-kept inn. She went inside, and her eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light... *

[Sicirus]

*Sicirus pulled the heavy ropes and watched the beloved flag of the Nal sail down to her level. It was stained with sea water and tears form countless storms and encounters with rather large rodents. Oh and a talking whale that they could never figure out how it could manage speech. Sicirus laid the flag gingerly in a silver lined cheery wood box and decided that she would sow it up later for their new journey after she followed the first mate (the new first mate) Earniel to the bar to pick up some nice fresh golden bubbly warm beer...oh and some new crewmembers. But still warm bubbly beer that seeps through your body making you...right.*

Earniel: We 're going to the local bar the Red Swan Sicirus so pack up that flag and lets be off.

Sicirus: *places flag into pretty box and lays box in the captain's quarters* Coming. *Grabs small knife and runs after Eärniel to catch up* You walk fast!

Earniel: *Gives second mate a penetrating look*

Sicirus: *recoils* But what a great speed to make it to the bar before happy hour ends.

Earniel: *Sigh* We are not going to the Red Swan to drink all day. We are going to pick up some new crewmembers. I would to stay sober, if that is possible, so we are able to make sure we get worthy workers and that they are not apart of another crew who want us dead. Or worse...

Sicirus: Put us into slavery and make us pick up giant rodent poop?

Earniel: NO, well that too but make us slaves in general and try to force out the location of the treasure we seek.

Sicirus: AH. Then attempt the possible I shall and try to stay sober.

[Elfmaster XK]

OOC: *cough* I am the captain, Sicirus. Eärniel is my First Mate. *cough*

XK watched out of the window of her cabin as her first and second mate crept through the fog towards the Red Swan Inn. Eärniel had dropped in a message that she and Sicirus were going to the Inn in search of a new crew. After she had watched them out of sight she rose heavily, her boots clunking on the wooden floor and she left the cabin.

XK: Flannery?
Flannery: Yes?
XK: I want you to watch that warehouse. I don't trust it.
Flannery: *raises eyebrow* Just that one? Why?
XK: *smiles* Like I said, I don't trust it. I have a feeling it might be hiding something.
Flannery: Alright. *makes way up to crow's nest*
XK: In the meantime, I am going to the Red Swan. Got to watch your back, Eärniel.

With one last glance at the warehouse, candlelight flickering in the windows, she stepped down onto the dock, followed by Alex Ale-nail. Together, silently they headed for the Inn.

Smoke was drifting gently from the three chimneys sat jauntily on the red tile roof of the Inn. XK could see shadows moving around inside, set against the dim yellow light shining through the windows. Slowly, she opened the door, her hood brought right up so her face was in shadow, and she strode towards the bar.

XK: Pint please. Make that two.
Barmaid: Aye. *she pours the pints, looking bored* Here.
XK: Aye...*places three coins on the bar and turns* Take this, and you're free to leave.
Alex: Eh?
XK: You. You're staying here. It suits you better, on land.
Alex: Aye, it does, but...
XK: But nothin. This is yer home...well. This is the life you live. Take it back, and I'll see you around. *she raises her head so she can look him in the eye* After all, we all need useful contacts.
Alex: Aye. Good luck to ye. I hope ye find what it is you're lookin for.

They grin at each other and then turn and walk away in opposite directions. XK wanders idly to a table in the corner. She slams down her tankard and puts her heavy feet on the table top, staring across the Inn at her two crew members, who were both carefully examining the crowd from a table on a raised area. XK smiled and took out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a deep drag.

XK: Well, we'll see what this...er...interesting crowd yields.

[Bunnie_Queen_1146]

Tiny- (In the back preparing food) Hey! Get your feet off the table! We just cleaned it. You got any respect?

(Keeps Cooking food)
Tiny- I need to get out of here. This place is to small. Anyone want to hire me? I cook very well.


ooc-For my first time..I haven't wrote much...lol

[Nurvingiel]

*Nurvingiel went toward the kitchens, reminiscent of her last job.*
Bartender (scowling): You're wanting something?
Nurv: Erm... a pint of bitter ale please *digs into purse*
*just then, someone comes out of the kitchen, admonishing people for putting feet on the table*
Person: Anyone want to hire me?
Bartender: Aw Tiny, don't tell me you want to leave us.
Nurv: I left my last job... because I wanted a new adventure. *feels awkward*

OOC: Sorry if I godmodded, you guys can post for me a bit if you want.

[Elfmaster XK]

XK watches the exchange at the bar, purposefully re-crossing her feet and banging them against the oakwook table again, a grin on her lips as the stressed cook glances between her boss, the customer and XK. The cook glares at XK and throws her towel onto the bar, storming back into the back-room kitchen. XK laughs gently to herself. She takes another drag of her cigarette and stubs it out on the table-top. She winks at Eärniel across the Inn, who simply takes a sip from her tankard and looks towards the elf leaning on the bar.

[Earniel]

Eärniel: We did need a cook, right?

Sicirus: You're thinking of that girl earlier?

Eärniel: Indeed, she's a cook and looking for a job. Now we only have to find out whether she'll cook for pirates.

Sicirus: But she's small, in fact smaller than small, she's tiny.

Eärniel: Well, I'm small, do you judge me by my size?

Sicirus: I wouldn't dare, I judge you by the amount of sharp implements you usually carry around.

Eärniel: *grins and takes another sip from her drink* So you should.

Sicirus: What do you think about the newcomer? She's looking for adventure, she just said.

Eärniel: Yeah, I heard. Maybe I'll go and have a little chat with her and find out whether she might be interested in a marine kind of adventure... You can mingle with the rest of the crowd, Sicirus. Try to find out if any of them are pirates.

*Eärniel empties her tankard and slowly rises from her seat. She walks seemingly carelesly to the bar and leaning against it she asks for another drink. When the bartender leaves to get it, she turns to the Elf.*

Eärniel: I couldn't help overhearing you were looking for new adventure. What makes you think you will find it here?

[Nurvingiel]

Nurvingiel: Well... I'm not completely sure what brought me out here. But now that I've seen the sea, something stirs in my heart that I have never felt before. My next adventure must be sailing. I will find a way to go to see.

*Nurvingiel had a determined look in her eye. Then she realized she was still wearing her pack, so she unshouldered it and stashed it under the bar stool, looking a bit embarassed.*

Nurvingiel: So... um... what are pirates?

*Eärniel and Sicirus exchange a significant look, which Nurvingiel marks, but isn't sure what to make of it. They seem like decent folks, and Nurvingiel decides to trust them a bit.*

Eärniel: It's one way to run a sailing ship.

Nurvingiel: I actually don't know anything about sailing, to be honest, but I learn quickly, and I already know important skills like...

*She sifted through her meagre knowledge of sailing*

Nurvingiel:... knot tying, fighting, and drinking!

[Sicirus]

Ic: Sicirus left the first mate to her recruiting and went in search of her own picks of the bar. Many large and small men sat drinking and belching loudly. Some with dames who giggled quite loudly. Sicirus decided she would sit down and look around instead of walking about as though she were spying. Pirates don't like spies. Especially ones with sharp pointy objects in their shiefs.

From the corner of her eye Sicirus saw something quite fermilier. A maiden sat with a large dark brown cloak on in the corner. She had a l;arge pint next ter her and her golden hair glinted in the fire light. Sicirus could tell this person wasn't at all human. Her eyes glowed slightly in the shadows which the fire failed to reach. The women wore a hat the shadowed her face but Sicirus could catch a fermilier symbol on the hem of the cloack she wore. The symbol was that of the sea in elvish. The symbol she, Sicirus, had knitted on it years ago before she went into pirating.

OOC: And here is Ethuliel. Sorry I couldn't really get any other characters because only about two new people introduced themselves and one is already met.

[Count Comfect]

* A relatively young man wanders into the bar and sits down heavily in one of the chairs. He briefly wonders if it would be possible to get something to drink, but, looking around, notices that the bartender and cook appear to be having a bit of a disagreement about something. He decides not to interrupt them: all he really wanted was a temporary bit of quiet for a moment after the last place he wandered onto turned out to be a pirate ship. Speaking of which, he was rather disconcerted looking around him to see two individuals who each seemed to be scanning the bar looking for someone or something. He put his feet up on the table and sighs again, wondering who or what they were looking for*

[Earniel]

Eärniel: Knot tying, fighting and drinking... well, that certainly covers a lot of aspects of sailing. *grins* At least where I come from.

*The bartender brings Eärniel her second drink and leaves after she pays for it. Eärniel takes a sip and before continuing.*

Eärniel: I'll be fair with ye: my ship may have some room for new crewmembers and my captain sent me to look for 'em. However, we're -eh specialised in... hazardous voyages.

Nurvingiel: I understand, the sea can be a dangerous place.

Eärniel: Right...

*And if it isn't, we usually tend to make it dangerous, Eärniel thought but she didn't say that out loud. Despite her infamiliarity with sailing this woman certainly seemed to possess qualities that would make her a good sailor, once she was trained. However a good sailor didn't necessarily mean a good crewmember for the Nal. So Eärniel decided to get to the key-question.*

Eärniel: But apart from a dangerous place, the sea can also be a rather unfair place. So, how do you feel about... let's say: looting, robbing and sinking ships?

[Nurvingiel]

OOC: Oops... I should have thought out this aspect of my character a little more thoroughlly. About the pirating and... pirating... RPG Damage Control!!

*Nurvingiel was completely taken aback by the question. She avoided the other elf's eyes, and was thankfully interrupted by the bartender.*

Bartender: Hey, are you going to order something or what?

Nurvingiel: Oh yeah... I'll have a pint of, um... your bitterest ale.

*The bartender brought her the drink, and she paid.*

Nurvingiel: Loot... just any ship at all? Why pillage at random? Or do you have a purpose?

OOC: (Sorry, I didn't read the original Quest thread... )

[Sicirus]

Ic: Sicirus decided to invvestigate the elf sitting near the fire and see if he or she really was who Sicirus thought she was. Sicirus approached the elf and sat down across from her and stared jealously at the beer that was now half empty (or half full ) and glowing golden in the fire light.

Sicirus:*takes out a piece of chocolate that Earniel had not hidden along with her other hords of chocolate, and takes a large bite.* Mmmmmm..much better.

Ethuliel: Whats much better? *stares at large chunk of chocolate*

Sicirus: Now I don't havethe urge to steal you beer.

Ethuliel : Ah, well that would be rather hard to do. You would need to take it from my hand first. That in its self is impossible for some mere elf.

Sicirus: Hey!!!! What be your name...umm...Mate?

Ethuliel: *stares blankly then raises an eyebrow*

[ethuiliel]

Ethuiliel: continues to stare at Sicirus for nearly a minute, then burst into laughter. "Don't you recognize me, my old friend? It's me, Ethuiliel." She grinned. "So, what are you up to? Still on the sea?"

OOC: sorry it's so short.

[Bunnie_Queen_1146]

Tiny-Cooking up stir fry well talking Yea I need a new adventure...Maybe with Pirates. This place as been going down, thers not that many people coming in anymore. I need to have a change in life. Like cooking for different people. I need to work somewhere else i'm saying. Getting tired here.

Bartender- Well ok. I'll help you out I guess...But I hope I still see you around.

Tiny- You will..You will. As long as I'm not busy. And I get hired somewhere. The only thing is i'm worried becuase I'm am really short...tiny infact. turns off stove Well instead of standing there you can go give this to that tiny girl over there. Shes been here for awhile.

Bartender- ok ok I'm going. Your tiny, but that doesn't matter your good at your work. Thats all what matters.takes stir fry to Eärniel

Tiny-finishes shift and goes to a table where no one is sitting at, at the moment.

Barmaid- Hey Tiny! What would you like?

Tiny- Give me my orignal.

Barmaid- Coming up! So your really thinking of leaving us eh?

Tiny- yep. I'm sorry I need a change.

barmaid gives Tiny drink and leaves Tiny to her self.

[Earniel]

*Nurvingiel's confusion at the question did not escape Eärniel. So she left her some time to compose her thoughts while the bartender brought some food and new ale. From the corner of her eye, Eärniel saw the small cook leave the kitchen and take a seat in the bar. Filing the info away in her mind, she turned to Nurvingiel again.*

Eärniel:Theoretically speaking, there's little point in just looting any ship at all. If it doesn't carry anything worthwhile, there's little point in it.

*Nurvingiel still seemed ill at ease. Eärniel decided actually she liked this Elf and wanted to put her at ease a bit.*

Eärniel: But I suppose one could say the occasional plunder has served a purpose... a very important purpose. Consider it a sort of ... quest, a completely legal one I may add here, for something long lost. *looks directly to Nurvingiel* I suppose the big question is: does your taste for new adventure include having stomach enough to serve under a captain that will occasionally decide to attack other ships?

[PippinTook]

Pansy shook the rain off her cloak and walked into the bar. It was just like any other bar, men talking and drinking and she even recognized some elves. She walked purposefully towards the bar and asked for an ale.

Bartender: are you sure you want something that strong?
Pansy *scowls*: Yeeeessss.
Bartender *eyes*: Ok then, whatever you want. *hands ale*
Pansy: Do you know where I can get a job sailing?
Bartender: Sailing? Aren't you a bit...small?
Pansy *growls*: No, in fact, I'm a fully grown hobbit, 3'8 in fact! Thank you very much!
Bartender *backs off*: Sorry, ma'am, didn't mean anything by it, really.
Pansy *rolls eyes*: Fine, fine. Can I have some carrots?

[Bunnie_Queen_1146]

Tiny is sitting at a seat in the bar listening to the bartender and the Pansy talk.

Tiny: Just do your job. If she wants a strong drink give her a strong drink. She knows what she wants. And don't judge the small! Theres nothing wrong with us. I'm a cook...A very good cook. No one is judging me. As long as i cook well people will hire me.

Bartender: Ok ok. I'm sorry. *Mumbles under breath*....No wonder why no one wants to hire you.

Tiny: I heard that!

Tiny screams out in the crowd. "Anyone want to hire me as a cook?!" No one hears....maybe only a few. But Tiny doesn't realize it. She thought no one heard her. But someone did....

[Sicirus]

Sicrus turned sharply as she heard someone screaming for a job but ignored this for she knew Earniel would take care of it. Sicirus turned back to the elf and knew at once she was exactly who she though she was.

Sicirus: Ethuliel????? It's you!!!!!!

Ethuliel: *nods smiling*

Sicirus: Yes, I still do sail the open seas. I couldn't resist really. Plus I get to drink as much alchole as I want and have the best crew mates a pirate elf could ask for. The loyalest mates to ever sail the seas really. *pufs out chest proudly* (recieves stares from other people)

Ethuliel: Well thats good news.

Sicirus; Waht brings you down here so far from...well...home?