(group 1) Chapter 1: Of Things Long Past

As Johan strode down the dock, he called, "Ahoy the Frostrunner! Is your Captain aboard?"

At the sailor's advice, Ezryn gestures for the wolf to walk at his heel so closely that the creature nudged him slightly sideways with every stride. Scratching at the base of the wolf's ears in a comforting manner, the guide stopped a few feet behind Johan with his hand resting naturally on the hilt of the large sword at his hip whilst his mind wandered along the map he had tried to memorize the night before. Just how far can this ship sail at this time of the year? How much of our overland travels can we skip? He wondered, trying to judge these details using his knowledge of survival and the geography of the area to figure out the distances they could travel.

Though the HMS North Hope catches Jona's eye, he makes his way to the Frostrunner and looks for a friendly face. Upon seeing one, or the closest he feels he'll get to one, he asks, "Oy, friend, who do I talk to about joinin' up on the Frostrunner?"

Garn follows closely not wanting to get in the way of the hustle and bustle of the docks.

Hearing Johan's and Jona's hails, one of the ship's crewmen finishes tying off a knot of rigging he was working on then comes off the deck and approaches you. He seems to be a middle-aged human, starting to go bald, his skin dark and creased from many long hours of labor aboard ship. He looks the group up and down.

"We're just about to set sail within the hour," he says. "Fancy a voyage on the Frostrunner? You'll want to talk with the Captain. He's a good captain, don't speak much, but I reckon he'll let you four come with us. I'll go fetch him."

The sailor runs back up onto the ship then disappears into the sterncastle cabin for a minute. Eventually a half-elf man bundled in sealskin garments comes out and down to the dock, his blonde hair pulled back and a day-old beard on his care-worn face.

"My first mate says you lot are lookin' to join up with us for this voyage," he says abruptly. "What for? We're not a sight-seein' vessel, I assure you."

Nodding his head respectfully, Johan said, "Morning, Captain. We're on Queen's business headed to the East, and if you're headed that way, it would save us several days of slogging through the snow. Two of us know our way around a deck, and could lend a hand. A third is handy with useful magic."

"Aye, Cap'n. Johan here speaks plainly," Jona adds, happy to let his comrade do the talking. He looks at the ship, sizing it up and wondering hopefully what he might get tasked with, I wonder if they need a cook...

The captain eyes you all up and down, clearly gauging your usefulness. After a minute he makes his decision.

"Queen's business, eh?" the captain says. He sighs, and looks you all up and down, clearly gauging your usefulness. "Well, what's good for Scurdaeg is good for me," he says finally. "And asides, I'd rather not risk the wrath of the Iron Queen on my head if I unknowing hindered her business. Very well, ye may come aboard. We've a small crew, my boys get mighty tired sometimes. Would be nice to have a little help this time around. Heading east? Where exactly? We voyage to the far end of the island, making supply runs between here and Bronnstead over there. If we'll get you where you need to go, we need to no where that is, right?"

He leads you on board the ship, talking the whole time. "We're just a little ship, but sturdy," he says. "We're no warship, nor warriors, but we know how to get out of a scrape if we need to. Waters hereabouts ain't as safe as her Royal Majesty would like us to believe. Always some pirates skulking about here or there, not to mention the zeuglodons, malasyneps, and other such baddies. Try to steer clear of them as best we can."

Onboard, you see the ship is equipped with 2 ballistae, one at the bow of the ship, the other at the middle. The stern of the ship is taken up by the sterncastle, in which are the captain's quarters and atop which is the poop deck, where the helm is located.

"Yep, we're a sturdy little ship and crew. Get more use out of those ballistae than I thought we would," the captain says.

He leads you into the sterncastle cabin, where another man is leaning over a table covered in maps and charts. "Owen, our pilot," the captain says. Owen nods curtly. "We're just about ready to set sail, cap'n," Owen says. "Think I've got the course laid out nice, and the boys are done fixin the riggings."

The captain turns back to you and says, "Well, that's it then. Any questions afore we shove off?"

Johan made his own assessment of the vessel as the Captain showed them around, nodding appreciatively. In answer to the Captain's question, he said, "Aye, the Fuar Dubh. Fios Sean, to be exact."

"What a splendid ship indeed Captain. I really don't have the strength to try and sail, but have studied at the tower for years and hope I can be helpful in other ways." Giving the Captain a slight bow to show respect. Completely unsure what protocol call is for in these situations. He stumbles a bit when he first get on board. Never been this close to the water his eyes are like saucers trying to take it all in.