Post by dazbreaker on Apr 17, 2020 17:54:50 GMT -5
Wicked yawned from her position in the ravens nest of the Lazy Scoundrel, staring out at the ocean comfortably several stories above the water. It was annoying being on a ship. There was no dirt to make a Cemetary, thus she had no servants to take care of her. Thankfully some of the crew below had been taken in by her cute, innocent demeanor. While they were not really servants, they did go to lengths to keep her happy. Which was acceptable.
”Oh ho?” She shielded her eyes to the sun, spying something dark on the horizon. Wicked shifted in her chair, pulling her feet off of the edge of the nest, steadying herself to look and see what the source of the darkness was. “Heeeeeey!” She called downward.
”What ye see lass?” Called up the captain, a portly, but jovial and genuinely pleasant bearded man named Captain Whiskey.
”Stormclouds due north!” Wicked shouted. The ship seemed to be heading right for it, but they were still miles out, plenty of time to avoid the storm. The response that echoed up was a booming laugh from the Captain.
”AYE! That’s no storm little lady! That be our destination!” Wicked furrowed her brow and looked over the nest to get a better look at Whiskey. “Might wanna come down now! Things are gonna get choppy!” Wicked just shrugged, and hopped over the edge of the ravens nest into a bucket attached to a rope and pulley. With a whistle, one of the sailors below started lowering her down. She easily gripped onto the rope with one hand, and held her skirt down with the other. In a minute, she was on the deck of the four masted Schooner, and merrily skipped over to the rails to look ahead. Whiskey’s voice came once more. “Not many people know about Darkhall’s Island. Those who see the storm that surrounds it rarely choose to go through willingly!”
”Darkhall’s Island?” Wicked asked. She had never heard of such a thing. But then she didn’t read much into maps or oceanography.
”Yessum. Name of the fellow who owns it. Doctor Deacon Darkhall! Bit of a mad sort. Into all kinds of science. I bring supplies for him and the only village on the island. You ever heard the legends about the island?” Whiskey was talkative as always. He was a pleasant man, good natured, and happy to talk. Wicked didn’t like to talk, so she was keen to let him go on as he pleased.
”Can’t say that I have.”
”Hmmmm. They say the storm there goes on and on forever because of a curse!” That got Wicked’s attention. She liked stories about curses. “Aye. Legend has it the island used to be a great kingdom, protected by a mighty god no less!” Wicked turned to look at Whiskey, who was staring at the growing storm with a big smile on his face. He was enjoying himself, and waved various sailors to get around to tasks without needing words. “They say the god fell in love with the King’s daughter. But the princess was a right loon she was. Supposedly she kept giving the God crazy tasks to prove his love. They kept getting crazier and crazier, changing the landscape, building mountains, carving her likeness into the cliffs and the like.”
”How romantic.” Wicked smiled. “Did he win her love?” Whiskey shook his head, to Wicked’s dismay.
”Nay. She drove him crazy with her requests, and then she up and married some pretty young prince from another land. The god went insane, cursed and spat upon the island. They say the storm that always surrounds it is his anger incarnate. That’s why they call the place by another name.” Wicked quirked her head. Whiskey was a good storyteller. Now she was curious! And more than a little glad that she’d been picked up by his ship. At first she was worried they were unscrupulous sorts, which many were. While he and his crew were privateers and transporters, he was carrying a large group of what seemed to Wicked to be thugs and criminals, all looking for work on this island. “They call it, THE ISLAND OF MADNESS! DYAAAADYADYADYAAAA!”
His laughter boomed even as the rain suddenly hit the ship like a sheet of lead, and his crew rushed about to finish their preparations. Wicked was tingling with excitement. An island of madness! With curses and gods and crazy scientists! As she went inside, she couldn’t help but dream of what adventures she might find on such an island. Perhaps they would have some beautiful graveyards she could explore?
”Oh ho?” She shielded her eyes to the sun, spying something dark on the horizon. Wicked shifted in her chair, pulling her feet off of the edge of the nest, steadying herself to look and see what the source of the darkness was. “Heeeeeey!” She called downward.
”What ye see lass?” Called up the captain, a portly, but jovial and genuinely pleasant bearded man named Captain Whiskey.
”Stormclouds due north!” Wicked shouted. The ship seemed to be heading right for it, but they were still miles out, plenty of time to avoid the storm. The response that echoed up was a booming laugh from the Captain.
”AYE! That’s no storm little lady! That be our destination!” Wicked furrowed her brow and looked over the nest to get a better look at Whiskey. “Might wanna come down now! Things are gonna get choppy!” Wicked just shrugged, and hopped over the edge of the ravens nest into a bucket attached to a rope and pulley. With a whistle, one of the sailors below started lowering her down. She easily gripped onto the rope with one hand, and held her skirt down with the other. In a minute, she was on the deck of the four masted Schooner, and merrily skipped over to the rails to look ahead. Whiskey’s voice came once more. “Not many people know about Darkhall’s Island. Those who see the storm that surrounds it rarely choose to go through willingly!”
”Darkhall’s Island?” Wicked asked. She had never heard of such a thing. But then she didn’t read much into maps or oceanography.
”Yessum. Name of the fellow who owns it. Doctor Deacon Darkhall! Bit of a mad sort. Into all kinds of science. I bring supplies for him and the only village on the island. You ever heard the legends about the island?” Whiskey was talkative as always. He was a pleasant man, good natured, and happy to talk. Wicked didn’t like to talk, so she was keen to let him go on as he pleased.
”Can’t say that I have.”
”Hmmmm. They say the storm there goes on and on forever because of a curse!” That got Wicked’s attention. She liked stories about curses. “Aye. Legend has it the island used to be a great kingdom, protected by a mighty god no less!” Wicked turned to look at Whiskey, who was staring at the growing storm with a big smile on his face. He was enjoying himself, and waved various sailors to get around to tasks without needing words. “They say the god fell in love with the King’s daughter. But the princess was a right loon she was. Supposedly she kept giving the God crazy tasks to prove his love. They kept getting crazier and crazier, changing the landscape, building mountains, carving her likeness into the cliffs and the like.”
”How romantic.” Wicked smiled. “Did he win her love?” Whiskey shook his head, to Wicked’s dismay.
”Nay. She drove him crazy with her requests, and then she up and married some pretty young prince from another land. The god went insane, cursed and spat upon the island. They say the storm that always surrounds it is his anger incarnate. That’s why they call the place by another name.” Wicked quirked her head. Whiskey was a good storyteller. Now she was curious! And more than a little glad that she’d been picked up by his ship. At first she was worried they were unscrupulous sorts, which many were. While he and his crew were privateers and transporters, he was carrying a large group of what seemed to Wicked to be thugs and criminals, all looking for work on this island. “They call it, THE ISLAND OF MADNESS! DYAAAADYADYADYAAAA!”
His laughter boomed even as the rain suddenly hit the ship like a sheet of lead, and his crew rushed about to finish their preparations. Wicked was tingling with excitement. An island of madness! With curses and gods and crazy scientists! As she went inside, she couldn’t help but dream of what adventures she might find on such an island. Perhaps they would have some beautiful graveyards she could explore?