Sword Coast Adventures
By: King Julius I
Chapter 5
After putting their things bellow deck, the girls returned topside to watch the ship leave port. Twilight and sunset stood near Captain Helder, who was at the helm, while the rest of the group were on the deck near the middle of the ship.
“Um, Captain Wro...I Mean Helder, Wheres the rest of your crew?” Twilight asked. She looked over the railing and saw only her friends and the large wolf, whom Fluttershy was now petting.
“Crew?” Helder asked, “What crew?”
Twilight looked back to him, “The crew to help sail the ship. Where are they?”
Helder Gave a drunken snort, “I don't need a crew to sail this ship lass.” He turned back to the helm, and as soon as his hands toughed the wheel a circle of magic symbols appeared on it. “Cast off, Give me half canvas.” He shouted, and to the Party's surprise the mooring lines seemed to untie themselves and the sails partially opened. There was a jolt in the ship as the sail caught a breeze and began to move away from port. The gang plank could be heard slipping down the side of the ship and into the water. Applejack and Rainbow ran towards the front of the ship, while Twilight clung to the railing in front of her.
“Captain” Sunset grabbed onto the rail next to twilight. “Whats happening?”
“What does it look like?” He shouted over the sound of breaking waves. “You never been on an haunted ship before?”
After getting out onto the open water, Everyone stood around a table inside the Captains Cabin. Except Fluttershy, who was outside the open door sitting against the now napping wolf.
“Looks like Persephone's taken a liking to you friend.” Helder said, just loud enough for everyone around the table to hear. They all looked over to the sleeping wolf and their friend, who seemed to be ready to doze off herself. They all giggled at the sight before Helder drew their attention back. He rolls out a map of the Sword Coast and places a half empty bottle of rum on the top left corner and a knife into the bottom right to help keep it open. “Alright, so here's the situation. Recently sailors and fishermen tell of an abnormally large Shark attacking their vessels. It strikes suddenly, damages their hull and then leaves. Most of the ships its attacked have been large so the damage is easy to fix, but their have been attacks on smaller vessels that usually end with a few sailors deaths.”
“Aside from its size, is there anything else strange about the attacks?” Twilight asks, quill and parchment in hand.
Helder reaches into one of his jacket pockets and pulls out a small, folded piece of cloth. He places it on the table in front of her before unfolding it to reveal a very large sharks tooth.
Twilight picks it up and examines it.
“Its a tooth.” Rainbow said. “Big deal.”
“Oooo, Its a big tooth.” came Pinkie Pie.
“It has roots.” Sunset spoke up, leaning over to get a better look at it.
“Doesn't seem that unusual to me.” Rarity kept her distance from the object.
“But Shark teeth don't have roots.” Twilight now had the tooth laying on the table and was sketching out a small picture to accompany her notes.
“Exactly” Helder replied. “And along with these teeth were claw marks.”
“Claws?” Twilight looked up from her notes.
“Aye.” Helder points to a small island. “Most of the attack have happened in this area, my guess is that this is where its nesting, and would be the most likely place to encounter it. Now, at the speed were going we'll be there around nightfall, so were going to anchor near an island to the north of there and wait for morning.”
“Couldn't it attack us during the night?” Applejack asked.
“That is a possibility,” Helder scratched his chin, “but anchoring in the open ocean around this area is just as dangerous.”
“Do you have any kind of plan on how to fight this thing?” Sunset asked.
Helder stood up straight, “Find it, fight it, get drunk......in whatever order seems appropriate at the time.”
The girls looked at each other and accepted that this was probably the best plan they were going to get out of him.
It was getting close to sundown as Twilight looked over her friends as they went about the ship, finding things to keep them occupied. Beside her, Helder stood at the helm. “So Captain,” Twilight began. “How did you get your hands on such an amazing ship?”
Helder glanced over to her then back ahead. “Won her off a Mind Flayer in a game of dice.”
Twilight stared at him for a moment. “Seriously?”
He gave a low chuckle before answering, “No, I found her in the Sea of Moving Ice. She was stuck on a glassier, and with the help of a device made by a Dwarven friend of mine, I got her back into the water and have been sailing her ever since.”
“How did you find out it was haunted?”
“Well, the first time I took the helm the ship began to move on its own. I simply thought it some enchantment, until one evening when I was visiting a bar in Balder's Gate. An old Halfling woman saw me leaving the ship and approached me in the bar. She said that the ship once belonged to Captain Anabel, a pirate who was vicious in battle and loved adventuring. Despite her petit size and young age, she wielded two Greataxes and was wild in battle. She amassed a huge wealth by the time she was no more than 22 years of age, but one day she returned to her ship after visiting a bar she frequented and found her crew dead. Before she had a chance to do anything, she was assaulted by assassins and killed. Its said that the husband of a noble woman became infatuated with Captain Anabel, so the noble woman became angry and hired a group of mercenaries to get rid of her. She killed a number of them, but in the end they finally took her down. Unknown to the noble woman, her husband purchased the ship and had a figurehead sculpted in Anibel's image. Its unknown how her soul was bound to the ship or how it got trapped on the glassier, but I've done everything I can to keep her in good condition and shes been good to me since I found her.”
“Wow” Sunset and Rarity, who came in at the stats of the story, were on either side of Twilight. “That's pretty crazy.” Sunset said, “I've never heard of this story though.”
“Not surprising.” Helder looked over to them, “This ship is well over two hundred years old and her legend's faded over time.”
The girls stood silently for a moment before Rarity looked over to Fluttershy and Persephone. “What about your companion? Where did you find her?”
Helder looked over the railing and saw Persephone on her back getting a belly rub from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. A smile crepes onto his face, “Well, a number of years ago, when I was still just a young adventurer, Me and a party I was in stumbled upon a cave. It seemed to be nothing until we discovered that a hoard of goblins and their Bugbear leader were using it as a base to ambush travellers and caravans. It appeared that most of them were out, so we had made our way threw the cave with little resistance before confronting their leader. It was a hard battle but soon we wore down the Gobbs and only the Bugbear was left. But just before I could strike, he called forth this monstrous wolf that he seemed to have raised and trained for battle. If it wasn't for our Druid, who placed a spell on it to keep it from attacking us, I doubt I would be standing here today. But after the battle with the Bugbear the wolf remained affected by the spell so I decided to bring her along, despite the party's suggestion to just leave her. The next day the spell had worn off and she returned back into a visions beast. It took several days, a bit of help from the Druid and a lot of steak to calm her down. And after several weeks of training, she seemed to start accepting me. But it wasn't till the night that the remainder of the goblins, that weren't in the caves when we attacked, found us and tried to catch us off guard that I knew we bonded. Persephone heard them coming and helped us to deal with them. Ever since then I haven't gone anywhere without her, even when the party disbanded she came with me.”
“What about your nickname?” Twilight asked, “Why do people call you Captain Worg?”
“Well one day, after adventuring, I came into Waterdeep riding on Persephone's back. Someone mentioned I looked like a goblin ridding a Worg, and the name just stuck.” Helder concluded his story and uncorked a bottle of rum, “We'll be arriving in a few hours so why don't the lot of you go bellow deck and have dinner and ready yourselves for bed. You'll need you strength for tomorrow.”
Deciding to not argue with the Captain, the girls did as he said and after a couple of hours were sound asleep.
It was after midnight when Fluttershy was awaken by low growling. She looked down to where Persephone had been sleeping to see that she was looking up, growling at the ceiling. “What is it girl?” she asked before a loud thud could be heard coming from on deck. She let out a small “Epp!” before slowly climbing out of her hammock. “Sunset.” she whispered as she lightly shook her friend. “Sunset, wake up.”
The sleeping sunset began to shuffle around, then slowly opened her eyes. “What? Fluttershy? What time is it?” She then sat up and stretched.
“There's someone on the boat.” She whispered.
“What do you...” Sunset stopped talking when she heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming from above. She slowly got out of her hammock and began to wake everyone.
As the footsteps seemed to move around the girls quickly got their things together and quietly crept up the stairs. Rainbow was the first to reach the top. She waited a moment before slowly pushing open the hatch to the deck and looked around. Despite the fact that the moonlight was being blocked by thick clouds, her elvish vision allowed her to make out a large figure walking about the deck. The looked down to the others, “Looks like there's just one, but hes big.”
“Okay, Everybody get ready.” Sunset whispered. “Twilight, Pinkie and I haven't had time to prepare our spells, So Applejack and Rainbow will be at the front. Rarity, you and Fluttershy back them up while the rest of us will do what we can. Everyone ready?” Everyone nodded and prepared their weapons. “Alright, Lets go!”
Everyone quickly runs on deck and takes their positions, with Persephone standing behind them. As they prepare to fight the clouds above part and allows the moonlight to reveal their enemy.
It stood on two legs at about Eight feet tall. A large fin grows from its hunched back and a large, thick, finned tail drags behind it. Jet black eyes contrast its large maw full of razor sharp, teeth and its claws scratch against the mast as it walks past.
“What...what is that?” Twilight gasps.
“It looks like a great white, but...its...walking.” Fluttershy ducks down behind Applejack.
The girls tense up as the creature turns towards them and its mouth opens unbelievably wide to release a low roar. Just before Persephone runs in to attack, a hand runs along her back. “Easy, Lets see how this goes.” She calms at the voice and relaxes.
Rarity was the first to launch an arrow at the creature, piercing its shoulder. Rainbow follows her example and puts one in its chest, Causing the creature to roar in pain. Sunset takes the opportunity and casts a white light at the creature, striking it in the leg and freezing it to the deck. “Applejack, GO!” She shouts
“Ah'm on it!” Applejack darts forward, and with a swing of her sword, leaves a massive gash in the creatures chest.
With a swing of its arm, the creature catches Applejack across the chest, tearing through cloth and flesh. As Applejack screams in pain, the creature uses its other arm the shatter the ice on its leg and quickly charges for the edge of the ship and dives over the side.
Rainbow and Rarity, with bow in hand, rush to the side of the ship, but lose site of their target. She turns back to see Fluttershy everyone standing around Applejack. Looking over Pinkies shoulder, she got a good look at Applejack. The cloth that she wore around her torso was completely shredded, exposing her chest and the large, deep gashes leading from her right shoulder across the top of her left breast. She was taking short, shallow breathes, making it hard for Fluttershy to give her the healing potion.
Captain Helder walked from beside Persephone and passed Pinkie, who was trying to quickly prepare a healing spell, and knelt down beside the wounded Barbarian. Reaching back, he pulls out a small flask about the size of his palm. He then pours the contents into a half empty rum bottle, stirs it around, and slowly pours it over Applejacks wound. As he pours it over her chest, it begins to bubble and fizz and her wound slowly mends itself.
Applejacks breathing becomes more regular and soon the pain is gone. She sits up and runs her hand across her chest, feeling only four scars remaining where the creature had clawed her. She looked up to the Captain, who had tossed the empty bottle over his shoulder and was smiling warmly at her. “How?” Was the only thing she could think to ask.
Helder stood up, pulled another bottle of rum out of nowhere and uncorked it before taking a generous drink of it. “It's a little something I acquired a few years ago. The elf that gave it to me said that it could mend injuries to an extent. At the very least, it could keep someone from dieing. But unfortunately I only have the one so try not to get carved open again.” he handed her the remainder of him bottle, gave her a wink and then headed back to his cabin. “Ya'll get back to sleep, we'll be casting off a little after sunrise.”
Applejack watches him walk back into the cabin, before taking a long drink from the bottle.
“Applejack, Darling.” Rarity draped cloak over Applejack, “Lets get you something to replace your damaged clothes, I'm sure the Captain wont mind us using whatever we can find around the ship.” She then leads Applejack back bellow deck with Pinkie following close behind.
Sunset moves over to a wet footprint the creature left. “Hey Fluttershy, You ever seen anything like that before?”
Fluttershy moves up behind Sunset, “I'm sorry, I've never seen or heard of anything like this before. I have no idea what it could be.”
Twilight came up from behind them to kneel down beside the print, pulled out her quill and parchment and then began to make a sketch of it.
“Um Girls, I think...Um...I think we should do what the Captain says, we need our rest.” Fluttershy said, holding her hands to her chest, her eyes darting around.
“Yea I guess your right.” Sunset stood up and walked back to the stairs leading bellow deck with Fluttershy. “Hey Twilight, you coming?”
“Yea, I'll be there in just a second.” Twilight called without looking away from her work. Once she was satisfied with her work, she puts away her things and heads back bellow when something out the corner of her eye catches her attention. But when she looks back, she saw nothing but the figurehead at the front of the ship. “I thought I saw...” After a few second she decided it was nothing a headed down bellow, unaware of the pail figure watching from behind the mast.
Just after dawn the next morning Persephone woke the girls and they all gathered on deck, where Captain Helder was waiting. “Alright, we'll be casting off here in a few moments, and with a strong wind it'll only take a few hours to get to the other island. I'm sure you all remember what happened last night?” Everyone looked back to Applejack, who was wearing something similar to her old wrappings. “So we should be careful and watch each others back. I'd advise anyone who can cast spells to prepare them, anyone else needs to double check the equipment and weapons. Any questions?”
Everyone snapped a mock salute, “NO SIR!”
Helder put on a dark brown, triangular hat and grabbed hold of the helm, “Raise anchor, Give me full canvas.”
Soon the anchor raised and all of the sails unfurled. Adorned on the the main sail was the Guild symbol, but set behind the sword were two strange objects that looked kind like misshapen wands.
And in moments they were off.
Just as the Captain said, after a few hours they arrived at a small island that is believed to be the creatures layer.
“Drop anchor.” he shouted and the ship complied. “Okay. There wont be enough room in the dingy for everyone so a few of you will need to stay with the ship.”
The girls looked around at each other. “Well,” sunset began, “how do we pick?”
“Well were going to need a fighter and a caster, not including me. That leaves two more spots to fill.” Helder moves over to where the dingy hangs on the side of the ship, “Better decide soon.”
In the end they chose Applejack, Rainbow, Sunset and Twilight to go ashore. Leaving Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Persephone to watch the ship.
Soon the away party found themselves standing on the shore of the island, Just beyond lay a forest that covered most of the island along with a few step cliffs. Helder pulled the dingy ashore and secured it. “I'll take the lead, Applejack and Sunset stay close by while Rainbow and Twilight watch our rear. Understood?” Everyone nodded in agreement, and they marched on in that order.
They slowly made their way through the brush and trees for almost an hour, avoiding poisonous snakes, and plants before arriving at a small cave entrance. A small stream poured out of it that seemed to go all the way to the ocean.
“What do you think Captain.” Applejack asked from just behind him.
Helder moved to the edge of the cave mouth and peered in. It was to dark and deep to see much. “Looks like a good place to start looking. Rainbow, I want you to switch with Sunset, your eyes can see better in the dark. Twilight and Sunset, make sure to watch the back, I don't want that think sneaking up on us.”
The party moved forward with Rainbow walking just beside Helder. The sloshing of their movements mixed with the dripping of water as it fell from the cave roof overhead. As they moved deeper into the cave so did the water go from around their shins to just bellow their wasts. The cave split into several directions and each one was explored. Most led to dead ends while others came to submerged tunnels. After an hour and a half of exploring they finally came to a large open area of the cave. A few holes in the roof let in just enough sunlight that they could see a few banks along the back wall, and bubbling coming from the centre of the room.
“Looks like the water flows from under the island and out from here. Must be a network of underwater tunnels.” Helder looked around the room and noticed a pile of debris and around it was a large number of bones. “Looks like we found its nest, But nobodies home.”
Rainbow moved over to a small bank just to the right of them, while the rest of the group slowly moved towards the creatures nest. But as they drew closer the bubbling grew until a shape emerged from the water.
“It's here.” Rainbow shouted releasing an arrow that missed the creature by a few inches.
The creature turned towards rainbow and dived underwater.
“Where did it go?” Sunset tried to search around but there was no sign of it. “Rainbow, do you see anything?”
Rainbow tried her best to search the water. “I cant see anything, the waters to dark I....wait..LOOK OUT!” She screamed.
But before anyone could react, the creature rose out of the water only ten feet from Applejack. It dove forward, but before it could get much closer, the sound of thunder filled the cave followed soon by the creatures roar of pain as it dive back underwater. Once everyone realized what happened they all looked to Captain Helder, who was holding something that looked like a metal and wood wand with smoke coming from one end.
“What....What the hell is that?” Sunset asked, not taking her eyes of the small device as Helder reloaded it.
“Oh, You mean these?” He pulled another out from behind his back. “A Dwarven friend of mine made one and asked me to test it out. I loved it so much I got him to make me another. It works much like a cannon, only smaller. Give it a few more years and these with be in weapon shops all over Fayrun.”
“That...Is...AWESOME!” Rainbow shouted from across the cave.
“Rainbow, cut that out. We ain't out of the woods yet.” Applejack reprimanded while taking a few steps closer to the others. “Where is it?”
“I don't know, I cant hit him if I cant see him.” Sunset holds her ground and prepares a spell for when the creature emerges.
Rainbow readies an arrow and watches the water for any disturbance. For a time the only noise in the cave was the “Drip...Drip...Drip” of condensation falling from the ceiling. But as soon as she begins to relax, the creature bursts out of the water. But as it emerged a volley of energy from Sunset struck its back, giving Rainbow the perfect opening to fire, but she stumbled on a rock as she steeped back and the arrow shot into the dark. “Damn it!”
The creature tried to use that moment to attack, but another blast of energy stuck him, this time coming from twilight.
As the creature turned towards its attackers two more thunderclaps filled the cave, followed by two small metal balls piercing the creatures flesh. “HA” Shouted Helder. “You want fresh meat, then come get it.”
Momentarily forgetting about Rainbow, the creature once again dives into the water. Its fin, the only indication of its position, came for him at an incredible speed.
“Captain, watch out!” Applejack shouted as she readied her sword and moved into the creatures path. The fin disappeared underwater for an instant before a hungry maw burst forth from the water, missing Applejack by mere inches. This however gave her the perfect opening to bring her sword down on it, severing most of its tail.
“Hell of a move Applejack, well done.” Helder called as he reloaded his weapons, causing a small blush to appear on her face.
But before she could reply her thanks, the creature once again emerged from the water between Helder and Applejack, roaring in rage.
A bolt of energy flies past the creature, “Damn it.” Shouted Sunset.
But Rainbow, having regained her footing and prepared an arrow, stuck the creatures back.
Twilight attacked with her own burst of lightning which struck the creature dead on, while Helder lined up his shots, but only one found its target.
Applejack, Not wanting to get Electrocuted, took a few steps back.
Twilights spell was cut short as the creature dove underwater, only to once again attack Applejack, but only managed to clamp its powerful jaws onto her sword. The smell of death poured from its mouth as it tried to shake the sword from Applejacks grip. But a well placed Fire Bolt, From sunset, into the side of it's head caused the creature to lose its grip. And an arrow to the side of its neck from Rainbow seemed to deal the final blow. The creature fell into the water, and soon it was floating with its back just above the water.
“Is...Is that it.” Twilight asked, not taking her eyes of the creature.
“Ah think so.” Applejack was breathing heavily and she kept her sword ready just in case. “Captain?”
Helder raised one of his pistols and put another round into its back. “Looks good, Mission Complete ladies.”
Everyone gave a sigh of relief and relaxed. After a few minutes everyone had gathered around the creatures body.
“What is this thing?” Twilight poked at it with a small stick she found drifting in the water.
Rainbow looked it over, “I'm not sure but...Hey, look at this.” she pointer to an area just bellow its fin. “Is that a branding mark?”
Everyone looked to see a familiar image. “That's the same as the pendant we found on the necromancer.” Sunset ran her hand over it. “Its a branding mark.”
“So, you think someone made this thing?” Twilight asked.
“Looked to be that way.” Said Helder, “Lets check the nest.”
Everyone left the creature to float and moved over to the other bank. As they got closer, the smell of rotting meat became more and more pungent, until Helder, Rainbow and Applejack were the only ones who got any closer.
“Looks like this is where it at and slept.” Helder circled the nest. “Looks like it killed its prey, then brought it back here so it could eat without being disturbed.”
“I wonder if there anything good lying around?” Rainbow started to shift through some of the nest.
“Really?” Applejack watched, but kept back.
“What?” Rainbow defended, “It's not like anyone will be using whatever's in here, Right?”
“What about this?” Helder called, tossing something at Rainbow.
She caught it and examined the object, which appeared to be a battered breastplate. “Hey Yea, I could get a blacksmith to alter it for me, Anything else?”
Helder kicked around a few things. “Nope, looks like that's it. Time to head out.”
The group left the large room, Avoiding the creatures body, and followed the main path back to the cave entrance.
As they walked through the islands forest, Helder noticed that Twilight was lagging behind slightly and staring off into space, so he slowed his pace until he was walking beside her. “Hey, you okay?”
Twilight took a second but soon noticed him and snapped out of her trance. “What..Oh, no I'm fine.”
But despite her word to the contrary, Helder knew something was on her mind. Once they reached the edge of the forest, he held her back and let the others walk ahead and prepare the boat. “Look Twilight, I know it ain't any of my business, but you look like somethings bugin you.”
Twilight looked over to her friends, “Last night, after we chased that thing off the ship. I could have swore I saw something else.”
“Like?”
“I'm not entirely sure, but I think it was a woman. I only saw it out of the corner of my eye, but I thought I saw a woman standing near the front of the ship. But when I turned to look, there wasn't anyone there. I guess I was just seeing things.” When she turned to look at the Captain, his expression looked like a cross between confusion and worry. “Captain?”
Helder placed his hand under his chin, as if deep in thought before he continued. “Over the years I've had a small number of people accompany me on a few adventures. Usually they stay for a few months before going off on their own without any trouble.” He paused for a few seconds to think. “But every now and again....One of them will say that they've seen a woman standing on deck. Shes only there for a moment but they always describe a pail woman in a dress.”
“So, I'm not crazy?” She asks with a ghost of a smile.
“No, But the problem is that everyone who's seen her has had something terrible happen to them soon after. So seeing her has become a bad omen.” He looked down to Twilight with a serious look in his eyes and places a hand on her shoulder, “Be careful....okay?” then walks over to help the others.
Twilight watches him walk off, wondering what seeing the woman could mean. Looking around him twilight could see the others moving the boat into the water and beyond that was The Red Queen, waiting for them to return. She saw Rainbow turn to wave her over but something wasn't right. Rainbows smile suddenly shifted to a look of fear and disbelief. But before Twilight could question it, a sudden jolt ran up her back, like a bolt of ice shooting down her spine, before she fell forward. And before she blacked out the last thing she remembers is looking back to see the creature they had just beaten standing over her, with her left arm hanging out of its jaws.