“Hello Amelia and Flesh-stick, how lovely it is to see you here. Even if you choose not to join us, I would love to have you send us off.
Lord Gregory, with respect towards your leadership, I will not push you into the zee on the first opportunity I get.”
Martin’s eyes glinted slightly at hearing that this would be a heroic endeavour. Not that he believed that it would be heroic, it merely cemented his curiosity about this "tree."
For a few moments he fumbled around in his coat, pulling a prepared note from one pocket and slipping it into a mirror in the other. It’d find it’s way to where it needed to be and soon enough his servants would be walking down the pier with a trunk of what he’d need out at Zee.
Looking at ‘Lord Gregory,’ he spoke simply and asked what was on his mind "My name is Martin Walker. I ask before I join you in this endeavour, what is this ‘Tree’ you’re hunting?"
As he thought about it and rolled it around in his mind, and heard one of the others speak of spiders, the more rumours around the existence of the thing occurred to him. He disliked the prevalence of spiders in the city. Them thinking only made it more difficult to burn out their infestations.
edited by TeslaWalker on 8/5/2016
Jackie Pink noticed the notice, but paid no note. Just another sea captain looking for a crew, some sort of modern day Argo. A waste of time.
“North.”
Pink stopped in their tracks.
“North.”
Pink closed their eyes and tried to forget that word.
“North.”
No, dreams are just that. Dreams. Begot of vain fantasy. Nothing to worry about.
“North.”
Pink willed their feet to not stop, to not turn, to not go to the appointed dock. And yet…There they were, among the crowd, their meticulously polished boots stained with dockside muck. Some fool named Gregory. Pink would go, no doubt, and be helpful, for sure. But Jackie Pink had their own aims and would not be denied.
"The tree, is the Tree of ages, a spider council of unprecedented mass. But to just call it a spider council would be foolish, it is something else, a hybrid of metal and flesh, the council has amalgamated a number of ships, which lesser spiders then man. Few know about it, fewer still know it to actually exists. No one is sure how many lives it has claimed, at least as many as were living in the ships it has taken, and then a few more of those few ships who just barely escaped it, it is likely to have taken many more still, but as is the way of the zee, dead men tell very few tales. We hunt it for it’s heart, a spider at the center of its mass, the oldest, smartest, and deadliest spider within the tree. It is our goal to take it alive."
Gregory then turns to Dirae "One should hope it is not just out of respect, but also common sense, I am the only man present who knows where the tree is likely to be, and the only one who knows what to do with its heart after the fact. Not to mention that I am in fact a rather capable swimmer and would be more than happy to return the favour…And anyway it would just mean more work for the others when we have to stop so we can each get back on board…really, it’s a strange thing to even bring up."
Gregory straightens himself up, and looks to the rest of the crowd. "Are there any other questions, about the mission or otherwise?"
edited by Neonir on 8/5/2016
Amelia has to stop herself from laughing when Lord Gregory steps off the boat. She should had known someone with such boastful air would advertise for such an expedition. But there’s some merit and interest to it that keeps her feet planted from departing.
"Ya I gots one," Amelia shouts from the crowd. "Ye plannin’ on payin’ tha lot o’ us or tis be a cruise wiff tha payment called thrill? Much as some 'ere might like a free ride wiff good food 'n ale, I’d like some compensation fer tha trouble. Ya say death be no worries but I don haff no guarantee fer it. Though…" She puts a finger to her chin in thought. "Suppose naught many would care fer death regardless. Just would like more than a pat ‘n back fer showin’ up cause we lot be more bloodthirsty than tha Marshes."
Gregory laughs boisterously at Amelia’s comment, actually holding up a hand as he regains his composure.
"Oh no, no my goodness no, there is a very real chance of death! As I said in the add, this mission is just…well, it’s incredibly dangerous, hell, the only reason I put out an add in the first place was because I’m not willing to lose any of my hand picked crew on such a dangerous errand. What I did say, is that ideally, no one will die. That’s ideal circumstances."
Pulling out a notebook of sorts, Gregory eyes it over, then with a contented huff, shuts it and pockets it again.
"As for pay, should you not be content with being one of the few responsible for claiming the heart of a legendary beast, so be it, I cannot expect all to be so inclined, and you have every right to desire some form of compensation for your efforts. So I pose this to each of you. See, we will be taking back a spider. This spider will be taken to a buyer I am in communications with. They will pay a sum of money for it, a portion of that has already been invested in supplies, in fuel and in a few avenues to keep this whole affair quiet, so as to avoid the port authorities involvement. If you are so inclined, I shall share a portion of the remaining income with yourselves, it matters little to me, but it should happily cover any amount you would be looking to make of such an expedition."
Gregory pauses for a moment.
"However, if you were otherwise inclined, I should like to point out, this will be a rather rare oppotunity, you see. You will be on board with one of the most venemous creatures we will ever likely encounter, I do rather think it will likely have venom to rival that of maybe even the cantigaster. At the very least it will be potent enough to burn through solid steel, so should you be brave enough, collecting the venom is a very real possibility for those who would have use for such a thing. I should also mention that, if anyone should so desire, I am also more than willing to drop off participants at locations other than london, granting they lie in our path there or back, and will take their help on board as payment for the trip."
The Dean, quiet through the proceedings so far, speaks up.
"To be quite frank sir. There is only one price I find worth such a voyage. Will we have the opportunity to speak with the creature?"
edited by Dean Lee on 8/5/2016
Gregory shurgs at the idea.
“It most definitely will know how to speak, and you are more than welcome to attempt such an encounter, but it is likely the beast will be of the aggressive persuasion. Perhaps the heart will speak, I cannot say much about that, but many a time I have heard whisperings of knowledge from a council disbanded. When hunting beasts of myth, there is always a great deal to discover, if nothing else, than of the mythic creature in question.”
Gregory then takes a step forward as his expression turns somewhat more stern.
“I will not however risk either my ship or the lives of the rest of this crew to satiate your needs in this matter. This is not out of disrespect, in fact I tell you now so that you will not be surprised if, and quite likely when, this decision must be made. But the expedition is primarily a hunt, and thus safety and success are the two primary goals.”
The Dean nods slowly,
"Admirable goals."
edited by Dean Lee on 8/5/2016
"Well, look at that. More fools on a fool’s errand to get themselves killed!" The Mirthless Colonist briefly entertains the thought of zailing far across the unterzee to challenge an ancient council made of spider-spires. Only briefly. The night is damp and cold and at his arm is a lovely bandaged lady, at worst lukewarm or maybe tepid. No, the Mirthless Colonist was too old for these kinds of suicidal excursions, and after his visit to the Nativity, he didn’t even consider the sorrow spiders to be particularly evil. The bandaged gentleman walks off into the night with his lively partner.
B____y hell!
Just how much absinthe did he drink last night!? You’d think that being half-dead would make you resistant to getting drunk! Why is it so damp here? Where is here!? A crammed cabin, an Infernal Sharpshooting Rifle leans against a bunk and a particularly Devilish-looking Fedora rests on his head. He quickly produces his Ratwork Watch. Oh dear.
Well, nothing left to do but check in with the captain.
Amelia snorts loudly before shaking her head. "Aye knew tis be a fool’s journey. But I fought maybe tha conductor ta tis madness haff some reasonin’ ta thar plans. Feels oddly comfortin’ ta kno every lot ‘ere be damnin’ themselves. No guarentee o’ success than those tha join. No real compensation frough contract. Can’t readily join wiff so much ‘idden. I’d be safer just chasin’ a Zee beast at tis point so I suppose tis where I depart." The two men at her side look to her but never speak up. She looks at them both, sees the hunger for adventure in their eyes and how they desire to fight her to stay on this hellish journey. She laughs hard and pats both of them on the back.
"Gots a proposition for ya, Gregory," she shouts. "’N a show o’ good will, I’ll give ye me best men ta ensure a safe voyage. I acquire no compensation but ye word."
The Dean looks around at the growing crowd of potential adventurers. He turns to Gregory.
“You’re certainly not spoiled for choice. Now seems a good time to ask: How many volunteers are you looking for?”
“Also, wouldn’t be half bad idea to work out a plan while we still have access to supplies - such as how much explosives we might need.”
“Not to mention discussing how we plan to engage. We will no doubt need bait. A creature this old has survived sue to its skill and cunning, not just its power.”
Flesh-Stick: I CAN BE THE BAIT. I’M LOUD AND COLORFUL!
“I also think we could do with some mountain climbing gear, and some weapons to help clear the way. Vake hunter’s glaive for example. A monster like this is just as much terrain as it is monster. Also, if we were to use Flesh-stick, we would need to make a plan in which he survives. . .A diving suit maybe?”
Flesh-Stick: I’M OKAY WITH NOT SURVIVING
“Do you know what Eli would do to me if you didn’t return alive? Fungus food would only be the start. . .”
Flesh-Stick: ELI ISN’T MY MOMMY AND NEITHER ARE YOU. NOW HUSH. WE’RE MAKING PLANS.
I SAY WE KILL IT WITH FIRE! WHO’S WITH ME??
“Fire is a good option if we can control it. Insectcide may help to weaken it.”