[mod]Potential NSFW Content[/mod]
The Hakseer
The docks of Clar Karond were all but empty of slaves and corsairs as Viseryn rode along the stone quays atop his jet-black steed; it was early in the year even for most of the hardened raiders, but Viseryn had insisted - a longer season meant more chance for slaves and spoils. Pennants and flags could be seen in the near distance, fluttering in the wind, thick with salt spray, and a forest of spears pointed towards a sky of roiling clouds the colour of slate, thick with the promise of rain. The young Druchii noble had his chin high as he traversed the numerous wharfs, piers and jetties of the City of Ships, guiding his horse with the barest touch of his knees. Behind him, slightly to the right, he knew Sinthair rode in silence, a constant presence which grated against him - despite the order for the powerfully built elf to accompany him officially coming from his father, the Flesh-Flayer knew that it was his mother’s protective streak which had given him the shadow.
“So, Thornblade, what do you think about ... Oh, of course, you think whatever my father tells you to think.” He shook his head, and grimaced. He had long ago tired of baiting his shadow; it was just a boredom reflex which surfaced now and then. He put it out of his mind; starting to grow more excited at the oncoming voyage the closer he got to The Bloodwrack, he urged his steed to move faster, although kept his noble bearing.
Finally, he emerged onto the slip where the vessel he would captain for the next two seasons awaited him, bobbing serenely in water akin to a black mirror. Finally, he could make out the emblems on the salt-stiffened flags - the half-moon of Clar Karond’s guards, the Vaulkhar’s emblem of a manacled slave, the five headed hydra of House Tagarys. A new banner was unfurled as he approached, a flayed human skin with blood painted onto it in the symbol of Khaine’s rune, a short, swarthy druchii holding it. Viseryn snorted upon seeing Cailas, one of his father’s retainers, and then slid his gaze over to the tall, graceful elf next to him, dressed in ornate armour and flanked by the Winhaerys twins, more of his retainers. He jerked the reins to stop his horse when he was less than ten feet from the patriarch of House Targarys, lazily swinging from the equine beast. Taking his sword from the high-canted saddle and belting it around his waist, he turned to his father.
“Father,” he nodded, before turning his gaze to the newly refitted ship.
“You are late, Viseryn,” Rhaego frowned, before drawing his son close to him and striking his face. “Do not do it again. Prove yourself worthy of my name.” With that, he had his own steed brought forward, a large, brutish nauglir by the name of Malignant, and spared one last superior look at his son before riding off.
Snorting in derision, Viseryn strode to the gangplank and boarded the ship. It truly was a masterpiece of druchii shipbuilding; obviously sleek and swift but large enough to hold a crew of fifty corsairs, one hundred slaves and the treasures taken from them, not to mention all the basic provisions a dark elf crew could need for a long period. Three masts rose from the slightly-sticky deck, with fine sails of black cloth emblazoned with the five headed hydra of House Tagarys, a dark green with ruby-red eyes, and thick black rigging spanning between them. The figurehead at the front of the vessel was an intricately crafted wooden medusae bloodwrack, bestial mouth wide and snakes curling around her shoulders, and her serpentine lower half coiled around the wooden spur which connected her to the forecastle. On deck, at regular intervals, weapon racks with cutlasses and spears rested easily, and between them there were a dozen bolt throwers, with stores of bolts - long, five foot bodies with heads of either razor-sharp, serrated steel for killing people, or sickle-shaped heads for cutting the rigging on enemy vessels - beside them.
Nodding in approval, the young noble finally looked at the group of eight druchii assembled before him, three of whom were obviously part of the corsair crew, and behind him, Malvrose strode onto the deck and proclaimed, “Dreadlord Viseryn Targarys, known as the Flesh-Flayer, Captain of the Bloodwrack".
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OOC:
Everyone but Ghouly:-
OK, so, you are all aboard the deck of The Bloodwrack. This will be an introductory post, so I’ll want your thoughts on your new posting - what do you think of accompanying Viseryn (whom all of you apart from Thornblade have never met) on his Hakseer? What do you think of the ship? Do you talk to the others or stand in solitude and observe whilst you wait for your new lord? And what do you do when he boards the ship? Do you want to delve deeper into the events which brought you to this point?
Ghouly:-
Obviously, your character has been following Viseryn on his way through the city. What are your opinions on the journey - anticipation or irritation? What is your opinion of the young noble? How do you react to the fanfare of the departure? What is your opinion of Rhaego and how he treats his son? Do you regret being bodyguard to Viseryn, or of taking employment in Rhaego's House? Is the ship worthy of the noble, or is it too much/more than he deserves? How do you think you compare to the other retainers?
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[mod]The Rules[/mod]
[mod]The Rules[/mod]
1) As GM, my word is final. If you have a problem with a decision I have made, by all means send me a PM and discuss it with me - I’ll happily do that, and try to solve any issues. I will not, however, be bullied into decisions by people in the OOC thread (I don’t expect this would happen, but I thought it wise to put it in!). I also reserve the right to decline and/or ask for changes to sign-up sheets (but I will only do this to bring them into line with lore/in cases of sheets which really do not fit the roleplay)
2) To maintain the high quality of roleplays on Carpe Noctem, I would like to impose a limit of four sentences in accordance with the rules of the roleplaying forum (in cases of dialogue, I will make exceptions, but please don’t take advantage!)
3) Explicit language and graphic violence is accepted (in fact, I pretty much expect it from Druchii!). The IC Thread will include NSFW, so please be aware of that if you visit the site at work!