DM wrote:T'riss smiles at Firnam as she sips her wine, and then notices how hesitant Firnam is in drinking his glass,"Firnam,"she speaks in Elvish,"do you really think I poison everyone I first meet? I am honored that you are so cautious of me, as well you should be."She can't help but laugh at Firnam's over observance.
Firnam sips his wine. It is vaguely sweet and a bit dry, and a warmth immediately begins to take over. Also, it seems that colors in the room have become brighter and as T'riss moves through her cabin, she leaves a faint trail of light behind her...undoubtedly the effects of Drow Spiced Wine, and this proves to be Firnam's first experience with the drink.
"Tell, me, T'riss,"Firnam begins to speak,"what is the history of this ship's captain and how did you come to be his first mate?"
T'rissarra takes another sip of her wine and falls silent in recollection and then speaks,"Well, young scoundrel, from what I've been told by Captain Anvilheart himself is that he started sailing 50 years ago as a young orphaned Dwarf whose mother died giving birth to him and his father died in battle with Orcs. His bravery in battle and in life remains unmatched, as the majority of Dwarves have an apprehension for water and the sea, Rothryn decided to overcome his fear of the ocean and serve as a deck hand for Captain Aldraeus Suddenstorm...an infamous Eladrin pirate from the City of Thieves, also known as Luskan."
~Luskan?~Firnam thinks to himself~That's where Gregor is from!~
T'riss pauses for a moment and finishes her last sip of wine and begins to pour herself another glass. Then stops while pouring, and peers over her shoulder at Firnam and asks,"Would you like another glass, my friend?"
DM wrote:"Yes, please,"Firnam says and hands T'riss his glass and she fills it up again.
"Very, well...now where was I?"T'riss pauses for a moment as if to remember where she left off and then with a sly smile, begins her story again,"Oh, yes...the Captain was a ship hand with Aldraeus Suddenstorm, an Eladrin MoonElf Sea Captain. Who, by the way, still sails these seas from Luskan to Githar carrying slaves. A most disreputable slave trader, but smart as a whip! Your Captain Anvilheart left his services as he could not stand the thought of slavery, as most Dwarves think of themselves as being free and proud. One evening while the crew was asleep, Anvilheart took it upon himself to set all the slaves free on Aldraeus' ship. They fought and escaped in the night on all the life boats and they made it to Baskin's Bay. Here in Baskin's, the slaves that survived pledged loyalty to Rothryn and became his first crew, and they all worked together to build and purchase The Sea Axe."
By this time, the wine is starting to make objects in the room seem as if they were alive. A strange experience that Firnam had never had before with any other alcoholic beverage. It is wondrous at the same time frightful...almost like dreaming while still awake (or dying, but Firnam tries to not think of that).
"Ah, I see the effects of the wine are taking a toll on you, my friend,"T'riss observes and speaks with a calm, seductive voice,"Perhaps, you would enjoy your experience better lying down?"T'riss gently caresses the side of Firnam's cheek with the back of her hand. "You may lounge on these pillows while I finish my story."
Firnam lies upon purplish pillows. They are soft and the cloth is like silk but much smoother.
"It is Deep Spider Silk...if you were wondering."T'riss says.
"Huh? Wh-what?"Firnam is caught off guard a bit.
"The pillows...if you were wondering. Deep Spider Silk from my homeland in the Underdark. I do not venture there often, as Dark Elves can be quite ruthless amongst even eachother. I enjoy friendlier environments now. However, I do surround myself with a few keepsakes of my life deep beneath the earth. I would only visit there again, I would never call that dastardly dark abode my home."
Firnam listens with great focus as his body seems to be greatly relaxed, almost as if he has melted into the Deep Spider Silk pillows and has become one with the floor...with the room...with the ship!
"So, now I suppose you are wondering how I entered into all this?"T'riss asks.
Firnam only responds with a confirming shake of the head and a very relaxed,"Uh huhm..."He cannot quite make any words at the moment as his entire body is beginning to buzz with Drow Spiced Wine...and he only had TWO GLASSES! ~How on earth is she still standing and talking?~Firnam asks himself.
"Very well, young rogue, my story is simple enough nothing extrodinary,"T'riss begins her tale,"After Rothryn acquired his ship, I was the first mate of Aladreus' slave ship--Dark Hex. Of course, Rothryn knows nothing of this."
Firnam's eyes open wide as he cannot believe what he is being told to him.
"I see you are becoming quite agitated, my friend, you should just relax and enjoy your experience. No need to ruin the effects of Drow Spiced Wine. Ah, yes...you have never had Drow Spiced Wine before, have you?"T'riss can't help but giggle a bit,"Humans usually can't drink anymore than two glasses, I am surprised that you are even still conscious, I can see that you already can't move. That's a typical human response. Drows and Eladrin have to drink at least two or three bottles to obtain the effects you are going through right now. Dwarves can't be affected by Drow wine, but they would never drink it anyway, and Orcs and HalfOrcs tend to become more powerful after drinking it. But humans and other races all seem to become paralyzed and eventually doze off into a deep slumber...sometimes they even die!"T'riss moves in closely to Firnam's face and caresses his cheek again. Her eyepatch starts to look like a skull staring back at him, and T'riss' one good eye glows a crimson red in the dimly lit room.
"So, let me finish my story, dear Firnam,"T'riss starts up where she had left off,"You see, Rothryn had greatly humiliated my lover...Aldreus Suddenstorm the Captain of Dark Hex the Luskan Slaver Ship. So, he ordered me to infiltrate his crew and enter into a position of trust."T'riss removes her hand from Firnam's face as she starts to tell the truth behind her conspiracy and as she removes her caressing hand Firnam's body becomes ice cold and wanting of her touch again, even though Firnam knows her true motivations.
"I left Aldreus' company to live in Baskin's Bay. While there I began a relationship with some big, mean, human brute...I don't even remember the man's name. Oh well, it doesn't matter, as the only reason I became involved in that relationship was to be abused. And he abused me everyday we were together, but for a Drow Female...that is nothing new, we are use to that type of treatment, and anything that Human could dish out, a Drow Male would dish out a thousand times worse."
Firnam is now fully paralyzed and every word that is coming from T'rissarra echoes through the cabin. The sound of his own heartbeat he can hear in his head and all his senses have become numbingly static in nature.
"Anyway, as I was being beat by my boyfriend in full view of Captain Anvilheart, of course my situation would appeal to his better Dwarven nature. Rothryn rescued me quite easily and took me aboard his ship where I was tended to with the utmost care. I served on his ship and fought off pirates and proved my expertise at sea and at battle. I asserted myself into command and Rothryn made me his second in command."
Firnam still cannot believe that he was so easily suckered and that Rothryn needed to be warned...unfortunately, Firnam is unable to move or even speak for that matter.
"Now, the time has come. I have found loyalties on this ship and we are fashioning a mutiny this very evening, of which I am afraid, you will not be attending. It is better that I keep you and any of your friends dispatched at the moment. Oh...don't worry, my friend, I do not wish to kill you. You and your friends are much more valuable to me than gold! You will all make good slaves, and I will finally have command of my own ship!"
Firnam's vision begins to become dark around the edges as he struggles to keep himself conscious, but it is to no avail as darkness wins over and he passes out cold. The last thing he hears is T'riss telling him to sleep well...and then she ties his hands and legs to the bed with a thin line of Deep Spider Webbing.
Meanwhile, at the Captain's Galley, a deckhand runs in.
"Cap'n! Cap'n! Mutineers!"he exclaims.
"Mutineers? Hmpf, I've been a wonderin' when this would happen,"Rothryn speaks quite calmly as his authority is being challenged. "I suppose I should go on deck an see who is all with me yet. Are ye all with me or with the Mutineers?"Rothryn asks Gorlan, Gregor, and Mr.Urlag.
Mr.Urlag pulls his Warhammer from his shoulder and says,"Let's smash in some Mutineer teeth!"
Of course Gorlan will stick up for his long time friend, and Gregor follows along with his friend Gorlan the Bard.
"Very well, me hardies! Let us get above deck and see what all the ruckus is 'bout?"
As Captain Anvilheart limps up the galley stairs and makes it above deck, he hears commotion and yelling among the sailors.
Anvilheart speaks in Dwarven,"Mutineers be damned! Who is still with their Captain here? Get ye on me side o' the ship!"
Immediately, the crew splits in half. Then the Rotten Tooth Ruffian spits at the Captain,"You can go to the Hells of Baator, you Dwarven dog!" and he pulls out a club. The ship is preparing itself for a bloody mutiny.