My Kingdom for a Ship, Part 2
Now that the ship is squared away, the group sets about hiring a crew.
Signe’s priority is keeping all of this quiet, so they’re not about to just set up a table on the docks and announce they’re hiring. To that end, Eric, Christof, Enzo, and Signe will ask around after people in town that they know, to see if there are any likely candidates. Meanwhile, Abul will look into local infirmaries to see if there is anyone that can serve as a surgeon’s mate.
After three days, they are able to round up the following crew:
Hjalmar Carlsen is a friend of Signe’s Uncle Ulfgar, and in addition to joining the crew, he’s able to give her some leads on where to find her uncle. Hjalmar has a habit of telling horrible jokes, but he is an excellent navigator.
Suart Barnes is originally from Avalon, but has served on various ships for the last five years. He is a pleasant enough fellow, but he smells strongly of onions, apparently all the time.
Gaspar Durand is from Montaigne, and to hear him tell it, he has more sailing experience than anyone else. Ever. He claims to have sailed the distance from Inismore to the Crescent Empire no less than 12 times, and to have visited every single port in between. However, if even half his claims are true, then his experience is considerable.
Verenzio Cosentino and Aleksandr Yegorovich came as a package deal. Aleksandr is from Ussura, and didn’t speak a word throughout the entire interview. However, it’s possible that’s only the case because of his friend Verenzio’s tendency to interrupt nearly anyone who is speaking, or even about to speak. Even Signe found it difficult to get a word in edgewise. Fortunately, Verenzio also has an almost supernatural ability to answer questions even before they’re asked.
Cyprian Tokarski is from the Sarmatian Commonwealth, and despite his tendency to speak very slowly, was able to convince Signe that he was quite adept at managing sails and rigging.
Germund Tiedemann is from Eisen, and like Christof, served in the War of the Cross. Over the course of their conversation, it became clear to Signe that Germund is incapable of lying, even when it’s to his detriment.
Patrick McDonnell almost inadvertently talked Signe out of hiring him. As his name suggests, he’s from Inismore, and his rather defeatist attitude lends a strongly pessimistic air to everything he says. However, in the midst of his doom and gloom he was able to relate several stories of his previous adventures at sea, and convinced Signe that he belonged on board.
Hector Manzanado was discovered by Abul working as one of several apprentices in a local barber shop, which doubles as a surgeon’s office. Of the group, Hector was the most promising, but more importantly, the only one willing to join a crew and go to sea. As it turns out, the young man is very religious. It remains to be seen how he will interact with Abul, a follower of Al Din.
With the crew hired, Signe and Enzo set about getting the ship stocked. Regular deliveries are made to the shipyard and loaded onto the ship even as construction is still under way. At one point Abul arrives to stow his belongings in the surgeon’s cabin, only to find that it doesn’t have a door yet. After half an hour, this is rectified, and Abul is able to relieve himself of his burdens.
Five days after their agreement, Signe receives a note from the shipyard that the construction has been completed ahead of schedule, and it is ready for her to take possession. The crew assembles at the shipyard, and Thorvald assist Signe in a ceremony that declares the ship ready to sail. They mingle their blood, and use it to paint both of their names in runes on the ship’s bow. The runes are then covered over with tar to make them truly part of the ship. Thorvald laments that not many Vesten cling to the old ways anymore. Signe names the ship The Magpie, the ropes holding the ship in place are cut, and it slides down the rails and into the water.
# NotPirates