It hadn't been a pleasant couple of weeks for Glenn. The ship repairs took much longer than expected, and involved him and a crew of other sailors and carpenters traipsing through each deck to patch things up. The lowest deck was the worst: the water was chest-high in some places, cold, and stagnant. The captain had decided against dry-docking the boat and completely fixing it, saying it would take too much time and money; they would patch it up best they can, which, Glenn thought afterwards, didn't seem very effective. However, the ship had made it out of the harbor without sinking, and so had Glenn, along with his life savings, some clothes, and some small tokens of home.
The next unpleasant discovery was Glenn's seasickness. For most of the beginning of the voyage, Glenn was either throwing up over the sides of the ship or trying to lay as motionless as possible in his bunk. It was nearly a week later before he could come above deck and not feel like losing the contents of his lunch (which mostly consisted of dried meat and hardtack, with the occasional orange to ward off scurvy) to the sea.
On one of the calmer, quieter nights, Glenn decided to go up to the main deck and look out on the ocean. He walked aft, towards the figurehead, stopping a little shy to lean over the starboard side and look out at the ocean. The water seemed to him like black glass, with flecks of moonlight occasionally shimmering on the surface. He wondered what he would find if he could see below the surface. Sharks? Mermaids? Sunken ships and buried treasure, as in the stories of old? Glenn shook his head, even though no one was around. Preposterous. There was probably nothing below the surface but fish and more water.
?Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?? a voice from behind Glenn asked. He had gotten to know the crew well enough that he didn't have to turn around and see who was talking.
?Nothing really, Murray,? Glenn replied casually, as Murray walked over and took a spot next Glenn. ?Just looking at the ocean at night. Never really saw it that much in Blackbridge, though I lived near it.?
?Yeah, I tend t' forget m'self, how pretty it is.?
?What do you mean?? Murray was one of the youngest members of the crew, easily a good two to three years younger than Glenn himself.
?I been sailin' longer than ya think. Good four years, since I was 16. Since I was strong enough to stand up t' my old man.?Glenn nodded.
?I understand. My parents are dead.?
?What happened??
?Blackbridge was...attacked by pirates a year or so ago,? Glenn said slowly. ?They managed to take control of the town for a day or two, until some elven warriors from outside the city helped tip the balance of power. In that time, they managed to reach my home on the eastern outskirts of the city. They killed my father when he tried to defend me and my mother. Mother...never really recovered. Officially, she died of consumption, but I say she died of a broken heart.? Glenn looked toward Murray for a moment, then looked away towards the front of the ship.
?Sorry to hear that,? Murray said, resting a hand briefly on Glenn's shoulder. ?Pirates are nasty vermin Especially the pirates outside RhyDin.?
?How so??
?RhyDin pirates at least have the good sense t' know when they are outmanned. But for the pirates outside RhyDin, like the pirates that attacked our ship and most likely, yer village, fightin's as natural to them as breathin'.? Murray shuddered, remembering the conflict that had brought them to Blackbridge. ?They don't even have the good sense to know a magicked ship when they see it.?
?What, this ship?? Glenn arched a eyebrow in surprise.
?Yep. See that figurehead?? Murray pointed down towards the front of the ship, at the wooden mermaid figure at the stern. ?Our cap'n saved a mermaid long ago, and she gave 'im that as a gift. When the ship's in trouble, she comes to life and helps us. Most of the pirates were too frightened to even fight back.?
?That's...that's fascinating.?
?That's not all that's magical. The only way for a ship t' get t' RhyDin is some sort of magic. Cap'ns got a magicked compass that'll direct ya there. Getting' there's more than a north-south thing.?
?Yeah??
?It's hard to explain,? Murray said, scratching his head. ?It's here, but not really here.?
?I don't understand.?
?When ya get there, ya will.? Murray smiled, then looked out over the ocean. ?We should be there in a couple of days. What do ya plan on doin' once ya get there??
?Honestly?? Glenn paused for a second, scratching his head. ?I don't know.?
?Well, that's the beauty of RhyDin. Doesn't matter what ya did, only what ya want to do. It's a land of opportunity.?
The next unpleasant discovery was Glenn's seasickness. For most of the beginning of the voyage, Glenn was either throwing up over the sides of the ship or trying to lay as motionless as possible in his bunk. It was nearly a week later before he could come above deck and not feel like losing the contents of his lunch (which mostly consisted of dried meat and hardtack, with the occasional orange to ward off scurvy) to the sea.
On one of the calmer, quieter nights, Glenn decided to go up to the main deck and look out on the ocean. He walked aft, towards the figurehead, stopping a little shy to lean over the starboard side and look out at the ocean. The water seemed to him like black glass, with flecks of moonlight occasionally shimmering on the surface. He wondered what he would find if he could see below the surface. Sharks? Mermaids? Sunken ships and buried treasure, as in the stories of old? Glenn shook his head, even though no one was around. Preposterous. There was probably nothing below the surface but fish and more water.
?Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?? a voice from behind Glenn asked. He had gotten to know the crew well enough that he didn't have to turn around and see who was talking.
?Nothing really, Murray,? Glenn replied casually, as Murray walked over and took a spot next Glenn. ?Just looking at the ocean at night. Never really saw it that much in Blackbridge, though I lived near it.?
?Yeah, I tend t' forget m'self, how pretty it is.?
?What do you mean?? Murray was one of the youngest members of the crew, easily a good two to three years younger than Glenn himself.
?I been sailin' longer than ya think. Good four years, since I was 16. Since I was strong enough to stand up t' my old man.?Glenn nodded.
?I understand. My parents are dead.?
?What happened??
?Blackbridge was...attacked by pirates a year or so ago,? Glenn said slowly. ?They managed to take control of the town for a day or two, until some elven warriors from outside the city helped tip the balance of power. In that time, they managed to reach my home on the eastern outskirts of the city. They killed my father when he tried to defend me and my mother. Mother...never really recovered. Officially, she died of consumption, but I say she died of a broken heart.? Glenn looked toward Murray for a moment, then looked away towards the front of the ship.
?Sorry to hear that,? Murray said, resting a hand briefly on Glenn's shoulder. ?Pirates are nasty vermin Especially the pirates outside RhyDin.?
?How so??
?RhyDin pirates at least have the good sense t' know when they are outmanned. But for the pirates outside RhyDin, like the pirates that attacked our ship and most likely, yer village, fightin's as natural to them as breathin'.? Murray shuddered, remembering the conflict that had brought them to Blackbridge. ?They don't even have the good sense to know a magicked ship when they see it.?
?What, this ship?? Glenn arched a eyebrow in surprise.
?Yep. See that figurehead?? Murray pointed down towards the front of the ship, at the wooden mermaid figure at the stern. ?Our cap'n saved a mermaid long ago, and she gave 'im that as a gift. When the ship's in trouble, she comes to life and helps us. Most of the pirates were too frightened to even fight back.?
?That's...that's fascinating.?
?That's not all that's magical. The only way for a ship t' get t' RhyDin is some sort of magic. Cap'ns got a magicked compass that'll direct ya there. Getting' there's more than a north-south thing.?
?Yeah??
?It's hard to explain,? Murray said, scratching his head. ?It's here, but not really here.?
?I don't understand.?
?When ya get there, ya will.? Murray smiled, then looked out over the ocean. ?We should be there in a couple of days. What do ya plan on doin' once ya get there??
?Honestly?? Glenn paused for a second, scratching his head. ?I don't know.?
?Well, that's the beauty of RhyDin. Doesn't matter what ya did, only what ya want to do. It's a land of opportunity.?