Two months after becoming a fleet, on a rainy day with the temperature starting to drop, we see a three decker ship heading towards us. Capt. Azuris has our second ship dive underwater and be on standby to assist. As we near the three decker, we can hear their Captain call to us to identify ourselves. Capt. Azuris returns the request with a call for them to surrender and hand over their loot. Their reply is to open their gun ports and we start the ship game of cat and mouse. We are able to be the first to fire a catapult shot, alas it misses. Their return volley of balista shots, six of them, three hit us. I go and check the damage they have caused seeing they are above sea level on our ship and call below to start readying for repairs.
Vikeret and I are able to take control of one of our balistas and return fire. on our second shot, Vikeret sets the shot on fire and we hit their main sails, catching them on fire. On their deck we can see them frantically waving and hollering at us. Capt. Azuris calls to hold fire as he calls over to parley with them.
All of a sudden a fifteen foot tall creature appears on their deck, oh shit it's Gregs Maritam. All of a sudden I feel a wave of magic come over me and I no longer want to fight the ship, but want to protect Gregs Maritam. Vikeret and I both turn the balista away from the ship.
Capt. Azuris walks on the air to their ship and has a discussion. Upon his return, he does not look pleased at all and apologizes to us all for having us attack Gregs Maritam's ship. I go below to assist with repairs and to see if I can recover any of the balista bolts from the side of our ship.
After an hour or so of repairs, I go relax with the crew and inspect the whiskey barrels. All of a sudden Doots' voice can be heard yelling "KRUMP!" So I stop drinking, I mean guarding the barrels and go to search for Krump below decks.
After hearing some shouting and a minor explosion come from above deck, I go running top side to investigate. I can see Vikeret and Doots on the stern of the ship looking over the edge. I go running over and look as well, just in time to see Capt. Azuris pull Krump into his Captain's Quarters. Capt. Azuris is yelling something about mutiny and killing his first-mate Krump.
All of the Troll crew start to arm themselves and Doots and Vikeret are somewhat surrounded by them as they approach the Captain's Quarters. The shouting, screaming, yelling match starts between Doots, Capt. Azuris, and Vikeret. All that can be heard throughout all of this is:
Krump is a self serving thief,
No he isn't,
Doots is going to kill Krump,
The bottle with the ship in it is an artifact,
Vikeret is ready to kill Krump,
It can and will destroy us all,
The ship has some sort of entity on it,
It will destroy the world,
Krump does not listen to the Captain,
Krump is selfish.
Capt. Azuris wants to forgive all and says to Krump that if he ever sees him with the bottle he will regret his life's choices. At this I walk below decks to get a drink and hope to forget this all.
Krump comes below after some time and sits away from Doots, Vikeret, and Myself seeming to be wary of us all. I decide to have an open conversation with Krump and bring him a watered down mug of whiskey. As I hand the mug over and sit across from him, I ask "Why does the bottle keep showing up in your hands?"
"I know it is a dangerous item, and I want to get it off the ship and sell it. Then I can go and buy another ship and give the "SS Krump" to the Captain."
"SS Krump? I thought you could come up with a better name than that. Like "Krump's Rump."
""Rump Krump", I am a genius for coming up with that name." He replies. "Can you do me a Favor?"
"Ask what you will and I will tell you if I am willing to do it."
"I want you to get the bottle in your hands after we make land fall, so I can take the bottle from you and therefore not be taking the bottle from the Captain."
"If it so happens that after we dock, that the bottle is in my hands and then gone from my hands, Oh Well."
Krump then tells me of his family and how their plans are to get some land in Regis Uthem's lands and the to open and corner a market for massive gains. I am shortly after this called above deck to be on guard duty that night. Nothing happens throughout the night.
The next morning, our sister ship calls for the Captain to inform him of their haul they were able to acquire. As Capt. WaveScales comes aboard, he regales Capt. Azuris of the tale of how he was able to board Gregs Maritam's ship during the commotion and get the loot he is now presenting. I want to board the other ship and ask Capt. Azuris for permission to do so, he agrees to a week. Capt. WaveScales is happy and offers me the First-mate position, when I find out there is NO BOOZE aboard his vessel, and decline the entire offer. I then go below decks and seeing a 5 gallon barrel I come up with a plan. I return above deck with the 5 gallon barrel and ask chef Carask if I can have the barrel, and with his permission, I then ask Capt. WaveScales if he can hold the barrel and only give me one drink an evening to which he agrees. I then ask Capt. Azuris for permission to take the barrel to the other ship and be First-mate there? He does not agree until it is shown that I have a special glass for the evening drink and the barrel is switched with a flask. I then skip happily aboard our sister ship as First-mate with Doots coming along, as He asked to join to cool his head.