Malevolent Mist on Spice Island

[orderispeace]

Who: Triton’s Mistress
Where: Spice Island
When: Oct. 10 - ??
What: As members of the crew touched by the mist grow more malicious they begin to cause turmoil on the ship turning a normal spice run chaotic.
Warnings: Possible fighting and language
Style: Whatever you want
Status: Closed to crew

The prow of the Mistress cut effortlessly through the salty water as the ship came to rest along side the dock. The uninhabited island was well known for its vast array of plant life, the bulk of which could be sold on the open market as spices or used to brighten up a weary sailor’s galley-cooked meals. Several large washtub sat on the dock just waiting for some one ambitious enough to fill them full of the island’s delicacies.

The trip to the island had been relatively calm with no major storms or hardships to slow their travel but now that they had docked odd things seemed to be happening all too frequently. Maybe the black mist the morning before had something to do with it?

[OOC: As usual feel free to start your own headers/threads! ]

Comments

BOUNTY BOX

[orderispeace]

The bounty box, as they were called, sat there in the clearing partially covered with loose leaves and a few vines that had managed even in the short time the crate had been resting there to climb their way up the side. It had sat empty for so long… but that was about to change.

[OOC: The evil, yet childish pranks, can only go so far. As the desire to do worse and even more terrible things to his crew grows it will eventually prove impossible for Haytham to resist making use of the bounty box. If you want your character to get thrown into a box tag here! ]

[bloodheels]

She had started to wonder the Spice Islands, seeing what there was and just amazed at the sheer amount of different plants that existed. She wouldn't be sure of even what she could make out of half of them.

Kneeling down in front of a nearby plant, Lenalee had chosen to take a closer look and maybe ask someone in the crew if they had a better idea of what it was or not. What better way to learn after all.

[orderispeace]

Concealed though he had been when Lenalee spoke something compelled him to step from the shadows of the woods and offer an answer. The small purple bloomed flowers with the red stigmas were known to him, he had encountered them a few times during his travels through Europe, and something about the innocently asked question touched a cord of goodness in him that had not yet been entirely overwhelmed by this latest curse.

"Saffron, I believe. Odd to find it here and in such numbers. That is a highly sought after spice, one very expensive to obtain much of."

He turned away after speaking, once more catching sight of the box just barely concealed behind the bushes, and seeing it brought the darker thoughts back to mind. How fun it would be to see his crew betrayed... how they might suffer at the hands of the Navy... terrible thoughts he had never entertained before but now felt helpless to resist.

"Are you familiar with them, Lenalee?"

[bloodheels]

So that was what saffron looked like. She had never seen it in this state before so it was rather interesting and something she would remember for the future. That is if they were coming back here after a while.

She soon stood up, so far she thought it was best to not touch anything for now until the other members of the crew said that they could start picking and once she was standing up straight she turned to face him.

"Not in this state, no. But I guess you knew, otherwise you wouldn't have told me."

[orderispeace]

When Lenalee made to stand Haytham moved, trying to hold on to any advantage he might have had when she was kneeling. She was still shorter than he but standing she could use her deadly kicks and those were something he would rather avoid.

A different tactic than force then...

"There is something else her you might not have seen."

He nodded in a direction before setting off down the partially overgrown pathway.

"This way."

[bloodheels]

Something she wouldn't have seen? She had walked around the island at least once so she had started to wonder what she could have walked past when she had been looking before.

As she turned on her heels looking towards what she assumed would be the direction that he was talking about, after all it was the area she really hadn't yet explored fully.

"Alright, this way, right?" She said taking a few more steps towards the direction.

[chasing_waterfalls]

     He wasn't as versed in plantlore as Noi and Roi were, but he'd learned a little, at least. So it was that the water dragon was interested to see what sort of things were on this Spice Island, since they could do for a few things to put in pastries.

     Lyrik wasn't disappointed as he'd found a few that he was familiar with, and those were really all that he'd need. He had taken one of the wooden tub things he'd found at the dock to gather a little since he had nothing else to carry them in, although he highly doubted he'd fill the entire thing. A little went a long way, after all!

     "Phew...this is a lot of work. At least if it were a garden you wouldn't have to wander everywhere...!" he sighed, leaning against a tree, perhaps not far from the box. He set his tub of spices down so that he could stretch out his arms over his head.

[orderispeace]

The hands raised over the young boy's head were as much a symbol of surrender as anything. It was one of those rare unguarded moments an assassin looked for in an opponent, no weapons, tired from the work of herb hunting, and now in a position unfavorable to resistance.

Haytham quickly slid behind the tree, his arm with its hidden blade flashed out as quickly as it wrapped around the small target's neck. The steel lightly brushed against Lyrik's throat as hushed words were then spoken.

"Do take care not to move. This shall all be over quickly enough."

[chasing_waterfalls]

     "-ulp?!" He froze as he found an arm around his neck, but his heart could have burst out of his chest as he felt the cold touch of metal. Lyrik knew what that had to be even without being able to get a good glimpse of it.

     Elle had never taught him about such a situation, but then something of the sort wouldn't have happened in the current Corseltel, would it have? While some of the seasonal fairies did exhibit violence, they usually didn't do anything foolish like threaten the dragons!

     But there was something else that Lyrik suddenly realized, then. He knew that voice. Didn't he? "M...mister Kenway?"

[orderispeace]

At the use of his name a second hand fell to the boy's shoulder giving him enough of a push to force him to walk forwards, towards the opening in the bounty box, while not sending too much pressure to the blade at the boy's neck. Maybe later it would have become compelling to murder the crew. but for now capturing and tormenting them held by far more appeal.

"Just keep walking and mind your step. It would be a shame if you died here and now."

Watching him get spirited away by the bounty hunters would be so much more satisfying!

[chasing_waterfalls]

     Stumbling forward at that, Lyrik had little choice but to move, all too aware of the blade kept so close to his neck. What should he do??? He didn't even have a weapon, but he'd never thought he'd have to defend himself from his own crew!

     "Wh- Wait, die???" he couldn't help but exclaim, very nearly turning around, but the desire to keep his neck from spouting a leak prevented him from doing so. "Why? Was it something I did?" He thought furiously at what he could have possibly done to deserve this. "-we didn't accidentally prepare a food you didn't like, did we? O-or was it the laundry? Although I still think this is overreacting just a little!"

[followthecread]

What is there to do on an island you've never been to before, and one called Spice Island besides? Why, explore and collect spices to sell, of course! A little extra coin in pocket meant being that much closer to buying a ship of his own. He could spot the major spices, and that would be good enough.

Kidd had wandered far, far from the harbor, and far from everyone else. He abandoned his crate and knelt beneath a bent tree, inspecting the underbrush. He hummed a lively shanty, his posture like that of a panther's--relaxed, but with a coil in its stomach, ready to spring to action if needed.

Still, he didn't expect a trip to such a quiet island to be at all eventful, so you could say he was off guard.

[orderispeace]

The bushes parted and swayed slightly as the Templar stalked towards his target from behind but beyond that small disturbance there was other little warning. The choking fog from a smoke grenade filled the air mere seconds before he struck. First with a kick to the legs hoping to unbalance Kidd and then with a right cross towards the jaw, thinking it best to try and permanently eliminate any possibility of retaliation before it could begin... if his aim were true and no complications arose.

Kidd was after all, a known pirate and well versed in combat, it was best that no chances were taken in his capture.

[followthecread]

The smoke grenade filled his senses, and Kidd whirled round to his feet just in time for that kick to his legs. He stumbled to the right and swiped his left arm up to block that right cross, making it a glancing blow. His eyes and lungs burning from the smoke and suddenly enraged, Kidd sent his right fist up toward his attacker's stomach. If nothing else, he hoped to use the time to regain his balance.

In that white-hot moment, it hadn't even registered who was attacking him, yet.

[orderispeace]

The fist, unsurprisingly given the blinding effects of the thick smoke, missed its intended target but came to land with no lessening of the force behind it some what lower. The jarring attack on his sensitive bits sent Haytham stumbling paces backward. As he, doubled over, recovered from the sudden flash of white hot pain the fog began to clear and the element of surprise was gradually lost.

[followthecread]

As the fog cleared, revealing Haytham's bent form, Jim figured out where his blow had landed. What a satisfying turn of events. Except for the fact that his suspicious crewmate tried to knock him out.

It would be easier to kill the man before he recovered, and he really wasn't seeing many reasons not to. Kidd drew his cutlass, stalked forward, and pressed the blade against the side of Haytham's neck.

"The fucking Hell ye plannin', Haytham?" Kidd snapped.

Of course, answers were good, too.

[just_a_minute]

Not content to gather materials with the others, Ban was just doing a little exploring. He drew close to the bounty box all on his own. The existence of these receptacles was known to him but he was more curious about the functionality of them. Spotting it, he was leery of it at first. There could have already been someone inside.. and if so it wouldn't be long before someone came to collect them.

He stayed away from it for a while, listening for any signs of life.. but when everything remained silent he moved closer to inspect it.

Apparently endless days of being on sea and acting as a merchant ship was getting the better of him. He wanted to investigate something potentially dangerous. Setting a hand on the wood he scoffed. "If this is the best they've got.... it wouldn't be able to contain me." That couldn't be all there was to this thing... or a lot of the refugees could just use brute force to escape.

[orderispeace]

Inside the box Haytham remained as quiet as the dead. Here he had thought he might have to go chasing after the other members of the crew but here was Ban, delivering himself just as pretty as a package. He drew near the entrance, pressing himself against the door frame so when Ban approached he would not be seen.

Nearer and nearer the Get Backer wandered towards the box, causing a small tremor to rattle through the crate at his touch, and then he spoke... so close, just outside the door. Haytham struck. His hidden blade snapped from its housing and plunged deep into Ban's stomach. The Grand Master was there to catch Ban when he inevitably stumbled, as you do when you are suddenly run through, and drag him inside the bounty box all in one quick well practiced motion.

[just_a_minute]

I don't think Ban is going to appreciate the irony in this scenario for a looooonnnng time, if ever. Heading for the door, he thought he'd just take a quick look at the interior. Before he can even grasp the handle this psychopath is shooting out at him. Instinctively he tries to draw backwards, but it's simply too little too late. The cold metal sliced cleanly though his flesh.]

Waaaaghdfkjdh!

[The exclamation was indecipherable as anything intelligible. His eyes grew wide, but it was as if he couldn't focus on anything, looking straight ahead as he collapsed into Haytham's awaiting arms. The box swallowed him whole as if it was a large predatory animal, blood seeping from the wound. When Haytham removed that knife that trickle would turn into a stream]

The-.... the hell do you... think you're doing... [It came out much less forcefully then intended]

[orderispeace]

Did the Navy still offer bounties on dead pirates? He might find out. The stream of blood from Ban's wound covered the floor of the box even as his hands were secured in the magic sapping manacles so usefully provided by the owner of the bounty box. Haytham didn't bother accounting for himself until he was certain Ban was no longer a threat. Having faced him once before, and that even under more friendly circumstances than this, he did not wish to be visited by that madness Ban was capable of inflicting on his enemies.

"Surely you have pieced it together by now? I am making use of the bounty box to remove a little trash from the ship."

That trash being you Ban.

"Though the meager bounty will hardly be compensation enough for the trouble," smirk, "Watching you suffer nearly makes up for it."

[just_a_minute]

I can't see why not. It's one less pirate for them to deal with. Not that Ban was in the best position to answer that question right now. As the manacles were snapped on, that familiar sensation of his body growing limp overcame him. This was not the first encounter he'd had with the energy-draining abominations and he would be damned how he finally manage to wriggle out of the last pair. Haytham was lucky that these things existed or he'd be in the worst nightmare Ban could conjure up right now. He definitely would have deserved it.

"No shit-" Ban spat, trying not to give Haytham the satisfaction of letting on just how much he was suffering.. though it was a poor effort on his part. The pain and discomfort was rather obvious.

"You've got this.... ng.. backwards though!" Ban lunged in vain toward his captor, hoping to wrest the chains clean off of the wooden boards they were bolted into before he was completed incapacitated. It looked for a moment like he might be able to accomplish it but they held firm, and the chain soon went slack again as Ban dropped back.

"Good! The last thing I want to do is load your pockets full of gold.." I'll give you something much worse when I get out of here! ".... The hell has come over you...?" Ban questioned, not sure whether he was willing to accept this dramatic shift or not. Sure there was something about Haytham that he never was quite open about but Ban hadn't really done anything to warrant this.... at least... not recently?

[givemelee]

"We should be able to trade these spices with the inhabitants of other islands.." Ratonhnhaké:ton stated as he inspected some of the spices that had already been gathered. Being able to engage in some form of commerce here is what kept the Mistress going.

Leaving the one crate of supplies, he walked over to help gather more of the precious cargo.

[orderispeace]

From high up in the rigging of the Triton's Mistress Connor could be seen below loading the baskets of collected spices and securing them in the hold. At another time Haytham might have been mildy impressed that Connor had take the initiative to start this task all on his own but now... now it was just an opportunity to inflict harm on an unsuspecting family member.

Haytham took two steps forward and dropped from the beam he had been standing on, his hidden blade ready to inflict injury if it proved necessary. All in all it was not to be too much unlike their first canon meeting, father dropping down on son intending to kill him if need be, though the height was greater this time and there would be no father's curiosity to save him.

[givemelee]

You are never satisfied with anything father

Unaware of the other's stealthy approach, Ratonhnhaké:ton was essentially a sitting duck. As he busied himself with his work he never would have thought to look up. He raised up, with another crate in hand and moved toward the gangplank. A motion that was the only thing that was working in his favor. Haytham still managed to strike him, but not as directly as he had hoped.

The crate of spices went flying, spilling it's contents. Ratonhnhaké:ton himself got rewarded with a face full of wooden plank.

Scrambling to right himself, he whipped out his tomahawk and twisted around to see his assailant. "Father?! What is the meaning of this... here and now?" It's on brother...

[orderispeace]

The assault did not end as intended. Sheer fortune saw Connor move just that small measure of space away, not enough to avoid the blow entirely but the blade missed and the bad landing sent his father tumbling across the deck until his momentum slowed enough to stand again.

"Come along Connor."

Haytham sneered and paced forward, hidden blade flashing in and out of its hiding place as he ensured the weapon would still function properly.

"You had to know it would come to this eventually. You who having been so hostile to me and mine from the very moment you arrived, saw fit at every opportunity to destroy what I was attempting to build, and scorned any attempt I've made at reconciliation."

The snarl turned more menacing, fueled on not only by the power of the curse by also by his confused feelings over his son. His voice raised as the words that were not truthful or meant flew from his lips.

"What I want Connor, is to watch you suffer!"

A bit of broken crate given a kick powerful enough to send it soaring up into the air at the assassin, something of a distraction as Haytham himself followed soon after, slashing at the space in which Connor stood.