Limitless Seas, Chapter 29.

Chapter 29.

With a sharp eyed halfling in the crow’s nest, Larson was confident that any other intruders would be spotted with enough time for them to react. The Sea Venom tied up alongside the Lost Soul and a work party went back across to search for valuables and inventory the cargo. Larson also crossed over to take a tour of his prize, leaving some of the crew behind to clean up the Sea Venom and gather whatever could be salvaged from the fallen. The minotaur, Fontaine, had run a tight ship. Things were stowed away as they should be, and the ship was a clean as could be expected for a vessel that had been at sea for an extended period of time.

Larson made his way to the captain’s cabin. He knew that Ibn had secured the captain’s chest but hadn’t had enough time for a thorough search. Unlike his own cabin, at least he hoped it was unlike his own, the pirate’s cabin had a musty and unpleasant smell to it, something like a wet dog combined with a bad cologne. He supposed having a minotaur at sea occupying the cabin would give it a bit of a funk. Just like the foul odor, the rest of the cabin was a total contrast with his own. Where Larson had simple furniture, Fontaine had an elegant four poster bed with silk linens. The other furniture was high quality and Larson was drooling over the captain’s desk the pirate had. It was a deep black lacquered desk with multiple drawers and cubbies for his various papers, charts, ink and quill, or anything else he might wish to squirrel away. Matching the desk and placed alongside it was a large chart table, currently empty of charts.

A similarly finished set of shelves lined one wall. Various knickknacks and curios lined the shelves. For the most part, the shelves held things that Larson had no interest in, such as bronze miniatures of various ships, but they would bring in good coin at Lucian’s shop. One item did catch his eye, it was a slender brass spyglass. It looked almost too delicate to use and Larson was wondering how the ham-fisted minotaur had used it without breaking the thing, but once he began to experiment with the device, Larson found it superbly made. A quick peek out of the small porthole in the cabin revealed the lens to be the same high quality as the rest of the spyglass, magnifying well without limiting his field of view too much. He dropped it and any of the more valuable looking curios inside his storage. The things would be too easy to break or lose if he let the crew try to sort through them.

A thorough inspection of the desk revealed the typical writing instruments and more curios as well as a healthy amount of paper and ink. Strangely, there was only a single ragged and stained sea chart secured in a locked drawer of the desk. Larson felt a bit guilty at breaking the lock, but it wasn’t the type of lock that provided any real impediment and would only serve to draw someone’s attention to it, like it had with Larson. He unrolled the chart, flattening it on the chart table using felt lined clamps that were built into it. Once he gazed at the map, the reason for it being the only one on the ship was made apparent by the system.

Salt Stained Map. This map is magically enhanced to record everywhere the owner has visited. Other charts the owner has studied will be copied over to the map, but until the owner views a location in person, much of the detail will be obscured. Hidden dangers, hidden treasures, and places of interest may be revealed on the map when the bearer views them in person. The longer the bearer spends exploring an area, the more likely he is to find a hidden secret. This map is linked to the sea and the ability to reveal secrets only works within a mile of the sea. When the map passes from one owner to another, it will erase any previous information.

This map was a true treasure. Not having to haul around mounds of charts on a long voyage would be a huge benefit. If the chart somehow revealed a treasure or secret along the way, so much the better. As he watched, the map updated with all the information that he had already viewed in other charts, greater detail occurring in the places he had physically visited. The system description given for the item made it clear that not all secrets would be revealed, so he would have to remember not to dismiss something just because it wasn’t revealed on the map. It also promised that the highlighted secrets weren’t all beneficial things, he would need to exercise caution when he explored something the map revealed for him.

Larson placed the map in his storage, intending to dig into it further once he had more time. When examining the desk, he noticed several hidden compartments under several of the drawers. Most were empty, but one held a small leather pouch that Larson opened to reveal four shining gold ducats, a windfall for him and his crew. Under the pouch was a letter to Fontaine from Lord Mox. Larson opened and read it, curious to see what it contained.

Fontaine,

I have allowed my son to be part of your crew for too long. It is time for him to put away this fantasy of becoming a gentleman pirate and return home. You have profited well from the information I have sent you regarding the comings and goings of various vessels traveling through Rockwell Wharf, but it is time we end our association. I will send a crew to retrieve my son and his friend shortly, according to the attached plan. You will be paid handsomely for your efforts, and I take it that I don’t have to remind you of the trouble that I can cause for you if word of my support were to become known. Destroy this letter once you have read it, should I find you have failed to do so, I will see that you encounter a most painful end. Once Jonathan is handed over safely and payment is made to you, our business together is complete, and I do not wish to hear from you further.

Lord Thurston Mox.

So, Lord Mox knew that his son wanted to join the pirates, it wasn’t a kidnapping or some lark that his son had taken up on his own initiative. Not only did Lord Mox willingly send his son, but he also supported the pirate chosen for the task with news of easy targets, likely ones they could take without putting his son in too much danger. For whatever reason, Mox decided it was time for his son, Jonathan, to return to polite society and saw an opportunity to use Larson to destroy the evidence for him.

That one of the lords of a small port town was corrupt was no surprise to Larson, and none of his business. He would have to be careful about the return of his son to Mox, he didn’t want to become another loose end for the powerful man to tie up. Larson would have to see if he could turn the situation to his advantage, getting his letter of marque was the key to his plans, and he didn’t want some corrupt lord or his son to disrupt that. It was time to speak with the two lordlings.

“Creech, get over here,” Larson called out to the sailor who was going over the rigging on the Lost Soul to make sure it was ship shape. “I want you to organize a detail to haul the desk and chart table over to my cabin and bring my old ones back here. Before you see to that, have the two supposed lords unchained from their oars and bring them here, separately, starting with the Buxton boy,” Larson ordered. Creech took off to start the task, the young man had some fire in his belly and would go far once he learned a bit more. If he continued to prove himself, Larson might have to start mentoring the lad directly, perhaps grooming him for an officer’s slot at some point.

Theodore Buxton was led into his cabin, the man looked young, not much older than eighteen. He wore the typical loose-fitting pants and linen shirt that seemed almost like almost a uniform among the pirates. There were no visible wounds on him, and the kid seemed terrified of the angry looking naga in front of him, which was exactly the effect Larson was hoping to have.

“So, who exactly are you? I want to hear it from your own mouth,” Larson demanded.

“Sir, I, uh, I’m Theodore Buxton, sir,” he responded.

“All right, assume I believe you’re Lord Buxton’s son, how exactly did you end up part of a pirate crew?” Larson asked.

“Jonathan talked me into it, he didn’t want to strike on his own and when he met the pirates at that inn, and well, he kind of forced me into it. I didn’t think we would have to hurt anyone or anything, I suppose we were just looking for a bit of excitement,” Theodore answered.

“I take it you found all the excitement you wanted to find?” Larson asked.

“Yes, sir, I most certainly did, more than I cared to,” Theodore replied.

“Now, what are we going to do with a lord’s son who acted the part of a pirate? Tell me, Theodore, did you kill anyone on the ships that Fontaine attacked?” Larson asked.

“No! I promise I was just a normal crewman, helping with the ship and learning how to sail. I wasn’t like Jonathan and didn’t do any of the fighting, in fact, Fontaine assigned one of his crew members to guard me during any fighting,” Theodore said. That made sense to Larson based on the letter he had read. Fontaine would not have wanted this golden goose to be hurt, at least not until he had the final payment that Lord Mox had promised him. The idea that Jonathan was involved in the actual fighting was bit odd, he wouldn’t have thought a lordling to be willing to risk his own hide for a thrill.

“You’re leaving a lot of the story out, I think, tell me more about Jonathan’s participation in the fighting,” Larson ordered. He could see the young man look down at the deck, struggling with how much to disclose. Theodore came to a decision, sighing in resignation before replying.

“He went too far, sir, I didn’t want any part of the bloodshed, but Jonathan, he liked it, liked it a bit too much if you get my meaning,” the young man said.

“I see, give me some detail, how far is too far? I wouldn’t have thought he was brave or skilled enough to cross blades with another crew in a boarding action,” Larson asked.

“He wasn’t that brave. At first, Fontaine goaded him into it, holding down a wounded captive and demanding we finish him off. I refused but Jonathan didn’t want to look weak, he was so impressed with Fontaine and didn’t want to disappoint him. With that first thrust of his blade, my friend changed and though he wouldn’t risk himself in battle, he gladly took care of the wounded for Fontaine. I don’t know what was worse, the bloodlust in Jonathan’s eye or the sick words of encouragement from that cursed minotaur captain,” Theodore replied.

The comments unlocked a memory of his past life. Larson couldn’t see details but knew he had been the head of a warship that captured pirates in the act. The ships were large metal things, so unlike anything he had seen on the seas of this world. His men had rounded up a group of skinny, underfed pirates. The pirates included several young children, anyone who was big enough to carry a weapon. It was the kids that disturbed him, the shock of someone arming children to kill wasn’t he worst part, the worst part was the look in the eyes of some of the kids. He could see they loved it, the thrill of combat and the power they held over life and death. It was a look no child should ever express.

“You know what Theodore; I actually believe you. I’m Captain Larson, by the way. Our plan is to rendezvous with Lord Mox in a few days to deliver you and Jonathan back to your parents. Of course, now that I believe you’ve not engaged in any actual acts of piracy, you’ll be freed,” Larson said, watching the relief on the young man’s face as he realized that Larson was actually here to free him.

“Thank you, sir, I’m sure my father will reward you for your service,” Theodore replied. Larson would most certainly try to pry some coin from his father, but he would be more than happy with just the letter of marque.

“While you are free, I will ask that you help out the crew until we rendezvous with your father. We’ve taken casualties and I need everyone working to get my two ships ready to sail. Are you willing to help?” Larson asked.

“Aye, sir, I’ll help as much as I can. We learned the basics aboard the Lost Soul, just let me know what needs to be done,” Theodore replied. Larson called one of the crew passing by, telling him to escort Theodore to Tarley for a work assignment. Once Theodore was taken care of, he had Jonathan Mox brought in. The young man tried to put on a strong face, but Larson could sense the fear hiding just below the surface.

“I take you you’re Jonathan Mox, your father sent me to collect you,” Larson said.

“Consider me overjoyed with relief that some captain and his garbage scow of a ship were sent for my timely rescue,” the man said, his words heaped with sarcasm.

“First off, it’s Sir, or Captain Larson. You will show proper respect aboard my ship or you can swim your way home,” Larson threatened. It was an empty threat and he instantly regretted saying it. Never make a threat you don’t intend to follow through with.

“You and I both know you won’t do that, just dispense with the petty threats. Fontaine was a much more intimidating figure and could pull it off better than some jumped up snake man. You, I suspect, have some agreement with my father, some reward promised to you that you don’t want to miss out on. That being said, I expect to be freed immediately and give proper accommodations until my father arrives,” the little snot demanded.

“You’ll get what I give you, in this case, it’s a full belly and an empty hammock. You’ll only get those if you put in a day’s work. I don’t know what kind of deal you had with the minotaur, but my ship is a respectable one and everyone works,” Larson demanded, this time the threat was real.

“I think not, I’ll be on my way now, I think this cabin will do nicely for my accommodations. The smell should abate without his presence, and I’ll need you to have some of your crew scrub the sheets for me before it’s fit for me to stay in,” Jonathan said, standing to leave the room. In a flash Larson slithered from behind his desk, looping two coils around the young noble, squeezing tight enough to hurt, but not tight enough to do any permanent damage.

“You don’t give the orders here, I do. Apparently, your tutors never taught you manners. I wasn’t paid to do so, but I’ll go ahead and include a lesson in hard work with your rescue. Jacil!” Larson shouted, spotting the halfling walking past the open cabin door. “Come in and collect this prisoner, see to it he’s taken back to his oar and chained there until I tell you otherwise,” Larson ordered. He was treading dangerous ground, Lord Mox may very well seek to break their deal if Jonathan was treated poorly, but if he didn’t put the little turd in his place now, the lordling would cause no end of trouble.

“My father will hear of this; you cannot treat nobility like common pirates!” Jonathan spit, tearing himself from Jacil’s grip and storming out of the captain’s quarters. Larson was close enough to trip him up with the tip of his tail, and Jacil was all over the nobleman, pinning his arm and shoving his face into the deck. A trickle of blood ran from Jonathan’s nose, and he actually whimpered while pinned to the deck.

“No more trouble out of you, enjoy your time at the oars, it’ll be good for you, teach you some badly needed character,” Larson said as another sailor came over to join Jacil and the pair drug the lordling toward the waiting oars.

“Ah, trouble with the cargo, sir?” Ibn said, having witnessed the kerfuffle. Larson walked over to Ibn, who was sitting on a barrel near the captain’s cabin, sharpening his twin scimitars.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle. That one was Lord Mox’s boy, another corrupt official in the making if I read him right. From what I heard from his friend, I think the lad has a cruel streak that goes beyond just the normal arrogance of nobility,” Larson said to his marine captain.

“Might be trouble, sir, Lord Mox might not be pleased with his son’s treatment, and the lad looks just the type to whine at his daddy for revenge. I know his type well enough,” Ibn said. The man had served with the nobility of Imix and Larson was sure the nobles in Imix didn’t act much different than nobility in other parts of the world, held to a different, and lower, standard than the people they ruled over.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, Ibn, what made you decide to learn to fight with two blades instead of a blade and a buckler like your other men?” Larson asked.

“Advice from my father, who was the first dervish of the sultan before I held the post. He told me to win a fight and win it quickly. By holding two blades I give all my efforts over to offense, a man using a shield has conceded some of his aggression and has allowed the possibility of defeat to enter his mind,” Ibn replied.

“I would disagree, a man with two shields would be someone who has given himself over to defeat, a man with a shield and a weapon, on the other hand, is a realist and is ready for anything,” Larson argued.

“Ha, a good observation my captain, a wrong observation, but a good one,” Ibn said with a laugh.

“Time will tell, Ibn, which of us is correct in our argument. For now, have the officers assemble in my cabin, let’s plan our next moves and see what treasures the Lost Soul has given us,” Larson ordered. Back in his cabin, Larson watched his officers file in, the absence of Nogreb painfully obvious.

“Well done everyone, give me a rundown on our ships. Are they both seaworthy and do we have the crew to sail them both?” Larson asked.

“Sir, both ships are fit as a fiddle. The minotaur might have been low life pirate scum, but he wasn’t sloppy when it came to running a ship. We’ll need a dozen at a minimum to crew her, a score would be better. Our Sea Venom is a bit scorched from the fireball that consumed our siege engine, but other than the scorpion being a total write off, the damage is only cosmetic,” Tarley replied.

“We lost the three crew on the scorpion, but the men hit by arrow fire are all back on their feet. Other than scrapes, bruises and the like, the men are in good shape,” Shada advised.

“Excellent work Shada. Bug Bartholomew, any chance of cobbling together another siege engine?” Larson asked.

“No sir, if we could have reused the arms from the old one, I could make the rest, but that fireball was too hot and warped the steel,” the ogre replied.

“That’s too bad, how about the cargo? Tell me the holds of the Lost Soul were filled with gold and gems,” Larson asked.

“Sadly, no gold or gems, but what it was hauling should bring in some good coin. It looks like they took a ship that was carrying a load of steel. The hold is loaded down with over two hundred steel billets. Not only that, but we’ve also found three dozen crates of this strange colored sand, not sure what it is,” Tarley said, handing over a small sack of what he found. Larson recognized it instantly, it was more of the sorcerer’s sand that he hand found aboard the wreck.

“Sorcerer’s sand, or at least that’s what it looks like. It doesn’t have any real purpose, but it might bring some coin as a curiosity,” Larson told them.

“Excuse me, sir, might I see a bit of that?” Bug Bartholomew asked. Larson passed the pouch from Tarley over to the ogre, Bug pulled what looked like an oversized jeweler’s loop from one of his pockets and began examining the sand, losing all interest in the rest of the conversation.

Larson only had twenty-four able bodied crew, which meant that sailing both vessels was going to be tough, but he had to do it. The prisoners would relieve some of the crew on the Sea Venom to be used elsewhere, and with what he had left, he could barely sail the two ships back to port, so long as they didn’t run into any other trouble.

“As far as crew, here’s what we’ll do. Tarley will take command of the Lost Soul. I can only spare a dozen sailors, but I’ll give you pick of the litter. Make sure one of them is a crewman trained on an arbalest, you’ll also take one of those. I’m going to give you Lord Buxton’s boy; he’s been playing sailor aboard that ship and seems willing to lend a hand. I’ll also leave you two of Ibn’s marines, but I’ll need and the rest here to keep an eye on the prisoners. I want both ships ready to sail as soon as we complete our business with Lord Mox. Our last, and hopefully not least, item on the agenda is to see what Fontaine’s chest holds. Ibn, would you do the honors since you had to lug it over here,” Larson ordered.

The chest was securely locked and after pulling him away from his investigation of the sorcerer’s sand, Bug Bartholomew went to work at defeating the mechanism. Ibn had offered to smash it open but the chest itself looked like it might be valuable and something Larson wouldn’t mind having in his cabin. It didn’t take the ogre long and the chest opened to reveal its contents.

The first thing that caught Larson’s attention were the three leather bags of coin sitting at the top of the pile. He wasted no time opening and having the crew begin counting it out. The first bag was the largest and was full of just under 10,000 scales, the low value coins most likely meant to be used as pay for the crew and other small expenses. While still mostly scales, the second bag also held nearly three thousand fins, the silver coins were a most welcome sight amongst the pile of lesser valued copper. Landsmen gold filled the smallest of the three bags, the exact count of it coming to 1,973 of the gold coins.

“That’s going to share out nicely, sir, I think everyone is going to be pleased to hear about our haul,” Tarley said hesitantly. It took Larson a moment to realize what he wasn’t saying. Many captains would be tempted to lie about the treasure count to keep a bit more for themselves at the expense of the crew. Larson was a harsh man, but he would never cheat those under his command.

“Announce the total count to the crew after you’ve figured up shares, Tarley. The cargo will have to be liquidated, but once it is, we’ll make sure any who stay aboard will get their share. I also want the shares and pay of those we lost going to their next of kin, if they didn’t have anyone to leave theirs to, keep it in a separate account. We’ll use that account to help any of our crew who are injured and no longer able to sail,” Larson ordered.

“Good call, sir, the men will be glad to see you’re dealing them square, sir,” Tarley replied.

“I want all of us to deal fair with our crew, if you can’t do that, you can find another berth on a different ship back in port. You’ll be hard on them, I’ll abide no shirkers on my ship, but I want them to know their hard work will be rewarded,” Larson said. Sadly, the rest of the crate held only minotaur sized clothing, too big for most of the crew and too small for the ogre. It would go into the pile of things to bring to their shop, you never knew when a minotaur might come stomping into town looking for a clothing bargain.

Tarley took charge of the ship’s accounts, calculating shares and setting aside that money for when they reached port. Larson was putting a lot of trust in the man, but since they had met, chained in the hold of the ship, the man had kept his word. He left the crew’s pay and shares locked in the footlocker, taking the rest, and placing it into his inventory.

“We did find something on the minotaur, and I believe it has an enchantment on it,” Ibn said, sticking his head out of the cabin and calling for one of his marines to bring Fontaine’s axe. “We don’t have a ship’s mage, but I can tell this is no ordinary weapon,” Ibn added. Larson would agree, the oversized axe triggered a system prompt telling him it was an unidentified magic item.

“Sir, depending on the enchantment, do you think I could take that as part or all of my share?” Bug Bartholomew asked. The axe was oversized for a human and just about perfect for the ogre to used one handed.

“Sure, we’ll have you go with Tarley to have it identified and he can charge it against your share, and take a bit from your pay if it’s value is more than your share. The same will go for anything we come across that one of the officer’s want’s,” Larson said. With the loot counted, the crew got to work while they waited for the rendezvous with Lord Mox.