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RPG on a Stick

A real play podcast group taking place in the land of Simn


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Across the Brine and Into the Fire, a collection of songs and tales

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lordskwid


Soldier
Soldier

The Sun was well past its zenith by the time the Pirate Fortune Hunter realized that well over a fortnight had passed since he'd seen the Sea of Swords, let alone sailed it. The hills and valleys topped with trees and shrubs along the horizon made him long for the damp salt air and brilliant endless skyline of the sea. He shrugged as he removed the bung from the wine cask to refill his skin and took a hearty pull. I can still taste the mead! Isis pissed on Keffer's trencher that night! Qidanos smiled as he rubbed the small stamp on the wine skin bearing the mark of Xantam, Keffer's alleged distant kin. Keffer boasted of his ties with the Zentarim every time the pirate was in his company at the Blushing Mermaid, an establishment in Baldur's Gate known for its illicit business. Qidanos was known to employ a few of their whores on occasion to help him gather crowds as he would sing and tell tales of the The Bitch Queen. They would eagerly help him to earn some coin and establish credibility with the landlubbers, and Keffer's boasting in particular decided the pirate's game that fateful eve.
    "Q.. Q... Quidance, is it? Did the street urchins and commoners enjoy your stories and songs? Do you care to join me in a game of bones?"
    Immediately Qidanos heard the dice reeling in his head, Keffer's pride mistook this bard for a lesser street corner minstrel and the pirate knew he had his mark. He turned to face Keffer as his eyes glimmered and gave an exaggerated bow, "Qidanos Galantel'alu, me hearty. Veteran jack o' the Black on The Bitch Queen's Sea of Swords and entertainer of your lovely neighbors. Even me foreign boots know t' address them as such." The pirate addressed the Blushing Mermaid's paltry audience gallantly. "Those same boots have never turned down a fair game of bones either." He winked at his opponent and smiled about as wide as he had since the nightmares brought him inland, away from the sea. Qidanos sized up Keffer, and noticed elegant brown suede boots inlaid with silverwork and an intricately decorated silver rapier hanging at his side, amongst a seemingly fat belt pouch. "Please, me hearty, lets roll!"
    As the time passed Qidanos, Keffer, and a couple few other gamblers shot dice. No matter the shooter, Qidanos seemed to know if the shooter would point or die and often lead the point. After a short time, maybe twenty minutes, a rather large crowd had gathered for their game, and many side bettors were present as well. It was uncanny how the bard managed to keep shooting and betting accordingly. He didn't win every roll, but he was clearly pulling in more coin than he was losing, and his eyes seemed to be aflame whenever his roll was true. Alis, one of the Mermaid's faithful whores, seemed to be the first to notice Qidanos' fateful run on the bones.
    "Oi, this copper 'aired minstrel's pouch keeps growing! It's as if fate 'as already thrown the bones and decided its winner!"
    "Fate is such a droll term, kismet sounds much more appropriate," Qidanos replied. The onlookers all seemed to be taken with that response, and those who didn't know of the pirate mistook it for his name as the gossip grew.
    "Quiet!" Keffer's coin was beginning to dwindle and he'd seemed to have had enough of dice, losing a majority of his coin to the flamboyant pirate. "Let's play another game half-elf, double or nothing!"
    Qidanos called out to the Mistress of the Mermaid for a round of mead, Keffer's drink of choice, for the entire establishment, leaving 10 gold as pay. "Unfortunately, me hearty, it seems you don't have t' double." Qidanos turned to leave and Keffers pride was at stake.
    "My sword! And these boots are of the newest fashion, silver worked all up to the knee. I must have a hand to defend my honor. This skin I carry belonged to Xantam as well! Here! This is his seal! Look! I'll bet it all if I must one last hand of Archers!"
    Qidanos turned back around, appealing to the crowd. "What honor would I have, if I didn't at least accept! As you wish." Qidanos replied, "A final hand for an honorable gambler, may the best man win."
    The Mistress of the Mermaid was no stranger to pride, and almost attempted to stop the game before it started, until Alis calmed her down. "Oi, I'll deal for the game. There is much weight on this wager and I don't want to lose two 'andsome patrons to game of chance."
    "Let's be on with it then," Keffer was near his wits end.
    "You challenged me to a game of archers, honor says you go first, but I'll leave it to this dragon." Qidanos pulled out a Waterdeep dragon piece from his doublet. Call it in the air." The pirate flipped the coin high into the air as Keffer called heads, and Qidanos' eyes flashed as the dragon piece showed heads. "Your play, me hearty."
     Qidanos bowed graciously and accepted, taking a seat and awaiting his hand. Alis shuffled and dealt two cards to each player before the betting round. Qidanos watched Keffer intently as he shifted his gaze between his two cards.  
    Keffer licked his lips as his eyes shifted between his two whole cards, and he'd seemed to have set mind to playing. "I wager this round, my coin purse" he replied as a curt smile crossed his lips.  
    Finally Qidanos looked at his cards, two archers, and he couldn't have asked the gods for a better hand. He winked at Alis, "I'll match. Deal me beauty." The three upcards came Archer Tower Tower, and Keffers eyes widened and he licked his lips in anticipation. "It's your turn to fight, half elf. Will you bet?"
    "I yield to you."
    Keffer was excited, and was showing at least one archer in anticipation of his wager. "Yes, my sword as well. As collateral for your purse."
   "Raise," called out the pirate, the dice were tumbling. "All of your value on the table, else I take what has been laid out."
    After a short pause, Keff calls out meekly, "I match," and turns over An archer and a knight.
    "Two pairs, archers and towers, with knight 'igh!" Exclaims Alis, as she turns her attention to Qidanos, whom the onlookers are still referring to as Kismet.
    "Archers full," as he reveals none other than the remaining two archers from his hand."
    The blood drained slowly from Keffer's face as he came to terms with being bested by the pirate. The words he attempted to speak would not give to voice and the onlookers had given to celebrating.
    "Kismet!"
    "Ha! Fate it was then, this Kismet!"
    "That Kismet sandbagged the poor sod!"
    "That was unbe..."
"Hi! My name is Selbin, nice to meet ya! What are you doing?"
Kismet awoke from his reverie to see the sun still at midday, and a tiny gnome at his shoulder.



Last edited by lordskwid on Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:24 pm; edited 6 times in total

http://jason.candelori.wordpress.com

lordskwid


Soldier
Soldier

Sheek Ooh Naninani Aye

The Fighter sat to sup with his wife and two young babes
As his wife came and sat she spilt the meat and taters

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
Some things in life just make one laugh
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

The knight was fit for tourney and mounted on his horse
His foe had mounted a mare in heat and knocked him on his arse

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
A noble fight would not be had
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

The urchin child approached the minstrel singing this very song
'Whatever does it mean when you sing this nonsense song?'

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
Young lad, never do you mind
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

A young captain of the black he took his living plunder
Made a young lass take him in her mouth and threatened her life asunder

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
One may mourn another may boast
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

An older sage worn deep with age did saunter to his crypt
A candle held to reveal mysteries in tomes did cause a fire it lit

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
Perhaps old texts should not exist
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

And so the fighter went to war for a few bags of silver
and left his wife and babe alone, frought with fear and bother  

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
A man should not fret upon when he is called
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

And so the knight did right himself and though the tourney was lost
His rival whom the tricks were pulled was snuffed at final joust

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
If one should cheat he may yet be beat
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

The sage he did mourn the loss of all his precious tomes
But found a more fulfilling life counseling young heroes

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
If all is lost your worth can still be found
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

As she did her best to please this captain of the seas
As he came he slit her throat and the blade did sing

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
and with the blade sliced off his cock
Sheek Ooh naninani aye

So listen here young urchin, what does this nonsense mean?
Only that you may not be here today if things had turned out differently

Sheek Ohh naninani Eyo
Sheek Ohh naninani aye
Cherish life and all it brings
Sheek Ooh naninani aye



Last edited by lordskwid on Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:00 pm; edited 2 times in total (Reason for editing : A song with a moral)

http://jason.candelori.wordpress.com

lordskwid


Soldier
Soldier

As the sun came down again, the pirate sighed and scowled. 'Tis good to smell the breeze again and be out of that filthy cave. He shuddered, remembering the strange land kraken that gobbled up three small black dragon fetuses at once, without a breath between them. The damn thing spoke to me. He shuddered again and took a large pull out of his wine skin, remembering Hollo, the old cleric who would bless the crew aboard the Sea's Whisper with a skin full of salt water. Could use a prayer now, aye he thought, as he shot the Druid a sorrowful gaze. I've got to remember the lad is a shifter, but a giant octopus? Is he mad? Am I... no, it's the damned visions. He shook his head and attempted to drown himself with his wine. First the nightmares, and now the Bitch Queen's monsters have followed me to land. I'll be a father to a water naga before I succomb to her terrors again. He grabbed his mandolin off his back and began to finger some notes as he remembered the ballad overheard within the cave:

Deepest deserts where suns forever fly
burn to dust nearly every thing,
but their eternal heat cannot hope to dry
the malicious, insidious azure king


He continued to play chords as he daydreamed of the black dragon carvings on the walls adorning the cave. It's obvious these dragons think very highly of themselves. The abundance of black dragons over the other chromatic dragons was telling. The fortune hunter continued trying to make sense of it all. His eyes closed as the cold, choking fumes, lightning storms, waves of acid, and horrible fires overwhelmed his minds eye. Instinctively his eyes opened again, yet the ten evil eyes lingered in his vision.

Curse these dreadful nightmares! I wonder if Langdragosa wrote this ballad himself? I'll have to give it a proper telling. Kismet attempted to drag his thoughts away from his visions and smirked; his hands went to the piece of horn he pilfered from the Captain's lifeless corpse. The dragonborn should be proud. I'll need to get this fitted upon reaching port.. er.. town, along with the rest of my spoils. I will adapt to my new surroundings soon, Tymora willing. He began to feel through the small leather pouch full of gemstones where he kept the horn. The plunder brought a smile to his fragile state and he began to stroke his painted silver beard boastfully once again.



Last edited by lordskwid on Fri Apr 22, 2016 12:14 am; edited 13 times in total

http://jason.candelori.wordpress.com

lordskwid


Soldier
Soldier

Will Full Sail Steer Us On
Will full sail steer our ship on / out at sea oh here at sea /
there's a better place that is waiting / here with me oh next to me /
I was sitting at stern window / on a cold and cloudy day /
when I saw that storm come blowing / for to carry my shipmates away /
I said to the lady Isis / Isis please don't pass on low /
For my shipmates they are toiling / they do not yet deserve to go /
So I stood up to that storm there / I gave a challenge to her strength /
Then as the storm threatened our life light / We dared to blow her away /
Will full sail steer our ship on / out at sea yes here at sea /
there's a better place that's waiting / here with me right next to me

I'll Sail Away
One grey morning when the wind is blowing I will sail away /
To a land where the Bitch Queen has no holdings I will sail away /
I will sail away one evening I will sail away (Isis hold me)/
When I die may my shipmates glory shine I will sail away /
When the Bitch Queen's trials take us under I will sail away /
Like a pirates ship flees after plunder I will sail away /
I will sail away one evening I will sail away (Isis hold me)/
When I die may my shipmates glory shine I will sail away /
Oh how glad and happy when we meet when we sail away /
No more cold iron shackles on our feet when we sail away /
We will sail away one evening we will sail away (Isis hold me) /
When we die may our shipmates glory shine when we sail away /
We will sail away one evening we will sail away (Isis hold me)/
When we die may our shipmates glory shine when we sail away /
Endure a few more weary days ashore and then we sail away /
To an Island where strumpets dice and wine have infinite supply /
When we die may our shipmates glory shine when we sail away



Last edited by lordskwid on Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

http://jason.candelori.wordpress.com

lordskwid


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