RRR, v. 2007.3 (Captain Pye & Co.) — Part 1
Continued above.
(That’s Round-Robin ‘Riting, for the uninitiated.)
Date: March 31, 2007
Categories: Fiction, poetry, and fanfiction, Nonrandom Craziness
Comments RSS TrackBack 251 comments
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1
Necromancer
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:14w00tness! First post!
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2
Alice
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:21What’s it about?
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Prarilius Canix
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:32We haven’t decided yet. Thanks, GAPAs.
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Alice
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:33Fantasy, adventure, sci-fi? Boring fiction about people and their problems?
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5
emmatheduck
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:38ooh! new RRR! i’ve never gotten around to doing any previous ones, but I’ll try to this time. Really. I will.
As for what it’s about, how about pirates? I like pirates.
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6
Cat's Meow
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:43I want to do an RRR! I don’t even know what it stands for, but I think it’s like roleplaying meets fanfics, so I’m all in!
I think it should be either pirates or fantasy. Or a combonation of the two.
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7
emmatheduck
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:516-Round Robin Riting or something like that. It’s like people all write a story together, each person writing like a aragraph at a time. I just used the word like three times in two sentences. aaaah!
Anyway, pirates and fantsy are both good, and a combination of the two is even better. Id rather have non-fantastic pirates than non-piratical fantasy though.
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8
davidude
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:516 – RRR is ‘Round Robin wRiting, where one person writes the first paragraph (or however much he/she wants), and another person writes the next segment, and so on. This is the LAST THREAD OF MARCH (probably) “SO GRAB A PARTY HAT, WHIP OUT YOUR SILLY NOISEMAKER AND LET THE PARTY BEGIN.” – Quoting Robert Coontz from the January 2007 issue of Muse .
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9
davidude
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:52I think the RRR should be science fiction.
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10
emmatheduck
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:569-noooo! fantasy’s so much better. And pirates are even better than that. but i don’t really like most Sci-Fi.
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11
Alice
in March 31st, 2007 @ 21:589- We already have a sci-fi RRR! I’ve written like three posts on it in a row! You recommended it to me, even. Remember?
I like the idea of fantastical pirates.
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emmatheduck
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:0011-Fntastical pirates it is, then?
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13
Alice
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:0312- Yes!
How many heroes/heroines?
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14
The Pointless Post Police
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:071 – A voilation of rule #1 – do not post a post merely stating that you are the first post and nothing else. Fine: 1 peice of virtual chokolit.
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15
Prarilius Canix
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:11Tentative prologue:
The Inner Sea had formed thousands of years before, when the lowland flats in the center of Sphaere had been deluged constantly as the Age of Ice ended and the great glaciers melted. Now, the only land surface of Sphaere is the mountains around its shores.
The [insert name here] empire soon took advantage of the confusion caused by the Deluge to expand its territory from the handful of states it once commanded. As our story opens, all of Sphaere is under its iron grip.
That is, almost all.
Hardy bands of seafarers, disgusted with the decadence and corruption that infects Sphaere, have taken to the Inner Sea and the scattering of lawless isles in its center. They raid the prosperous, Empire-sanctioned merchant ships that cross the Sea and bamboozle the incompetent navy.
One ship in particular is notable among these: The Albatross.
Do you like it? Names can be changed if necessary.
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emmatheduck
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:1313-One is easiest. but a 2 or 3 or 4 works too.
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Prarilius Canix
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:28My ideas for the fantastical part:
Perhaps the seafarers could have “windworkers” and “waveworkers” who control wind and sea, respectively. Or there could be some weird sea monsters, like the ones dreamed up by old sailors.
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18
davidude
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:3115 – Interesting. Could work…
This is the first thread I’ve seen without any comment on the name.
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Prarilius Canix
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:39Cut out “thousands” and make it “hundreds”. No empire could last thousands of years. Other than that, I like my prologue. So… What do you think about wind/wave workers and sea monsters?
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davidude
in March 31st, 2007 @ 22:5119 – What about the Roman Catholic Empire? It’s existed for about 2000 years. And the Egyptian Empire lasted at least 3000 years, if not more.
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Prarilius Canix
in March 31st, 2007 @ 23:0020- You’re right, but I still think it would be better if it was hundreds.
Another idea: Everyone who thinks they will regularly visit this thread makes up a minor character. I think the main character should be the cabin boy/girl, or a stowaway. The minor characters are the crewmembers of the Albatross. Sound good?
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22
Pyro
in March 31st, 2007 @ 23:0015- I like the idea, but “The Albatross” doesn’t really seem like such a fantastical name for a ship…
As for the name of the evil empire… something with “blood” in it’s name…maybe “the blood storm” or similar.
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23
Pyro
in March 31st, 2007 @ 23:0721-I think the story being told from a first mate’s point of view would be interesting, merely because they don’t get the attention they deserve, and that the cabin boy/girl thing is slightly clichéd…
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Alice
in March 31st, 2007 @ 23:3015- I love it!
23- I agree, except that I’m not good at grown-ups. I like Prarilus Canix’s idea of a stowaway, too.
I’ll be keeper! May I?
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25
Prarilius Canix
in March 31st, 2007 @ 23:45Stowaway sounds good. We could change the Albatross to something else, too. How about the Sea Roc?
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Alice
in March 31st, 2007 @ 23:53Ooh, nice!
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27
Evie (x.-)
in April 1st, 2007 @ 00:12…I back away now. I don’t do Pirates anymore…
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Alice
in April 1st, 2007 @ 00:4127- Why not?
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grnqween2011
in April 1st, 2007 @ 18:30I like the Sea Roc, stowaway is slightly overused though.
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30
The incredible PINK RULER OF EVERYTHING
in April 1st, 2007 @ 19:22GAPAS! CLOSE THE THREADS! WHO CARES WHAT THEY SAY? THIS IS RUINING MY WHOLE DAY! PLEASE CLOSE ALL OF THE OTHER THREADS RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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31
Prarilius Canix
in April 1st, 2007 @ 20:04Yaaaaayyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our plan worked!
My minor character:
Octavio “Krakeneater” Pye, captain of the Sea Roc. His hair was blown off in an alchemical explosion, and he’s been bald ever since. He wears a large tricorn hat to conceal this fact. A pirate of the old school, but he is less ruthless to innocent people than some of his contemporaries. He has a taste for kraken calamari, hence his name.
I was thinking that the fantastical element should come up in two forms: alchemists and weatherworkers. Alchemists specialize in working with earth and fire. They make all sorts of substances with strange properties. Weatherworkers control air and water. They are much in demand on ships. What do you think?
Now I must catch up on all the other open threads… w00t!!!!!
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32
Shadowkat
in April 1st, 2007 @ 20:1530-Never!!!
31-Sorry, but you can’t…it’s sad, I know, but we’re lucky to have even these.
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33
Purple Panda
in April 1st, 2007 @ 20:4431 – that sounds great! I especially like the way he lost his hair!
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Prarilius Canix
in April 1st, 2007 @ 20:58OK. Cool. Next minor character?
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35
Alice
in April 1st, 2007 @ 21:5131- I like it!
I think that they shouldn’t call themselves pirates. They should call themselves something like, “The Free.” Okay, that’s dumb, but you know what I mean.
My minor character is the midshipman. His name’s Francis, he’s sixteen, and he may or may not be a girl in disguise.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 1st, 2007 @ 22:1035- How about “Freebooters?” That’s actually what some pirates called themselves.
I think the cannons and muskets should have some sort of “alchemical powder” instead of gunpowder. That would make it more fantastical.
Suggestion for title: The Sea Roc. If we make it a series: Freebooters of Sphaere.
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Julieb
in April 1st, 2007 @ 22:23The setup sounds really good. I want to read what everyone else comes up with.
31- Creative.
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38
Pyro
in April 1st, 2007 @ 23:3031-I think “weatherweaver” would be a better sounding name for weatherworkers
I think the alchemists should be the fighters and the weatherworkers the sailors.
My minor character: Tzil Azuro, weatherweaver extraordinaire! Head Stormmaster of the Sea Roc, he is one of the pirates who is most attuned to the sea. He only wears blue and white clothing, and carries with him at all times a long silver knife. He is also a vegetarian, as he can speak with all manner of creatures in the sea and sky.
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39
Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 00:10Weatherweaver it is.
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 00:2736- That’s good. I thought of that but I wasn’t sure if that was what pirates called themselves, or what other people called pirates. “Gentlemen of fortune” is another one.
38- Weatherweaver! i agree, it’s much better than weatherworker.
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41
Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 00:29Double post, I think, but I have to say, I like the idea of it being a series.
(Then we can write lots!)
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42
Kiki the Great
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 09:23Weatherweaver and Waveworker? Melikes.
My minor character:
Niria Tolmark, sailor and Waveworker.More later.
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43
Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 10:55Okay, maybe Francis isn’t a good name. I’ll think about that.
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44
Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 13:36Octavio “Krakeneater” Pye, captain
Tzil Azuro, Stormmaster and weatherweaver
Niria Tolmark, Assistant Stormmaster and waveworker
Francis, midship-man(-woman?)
I like this. Tzil would specialize in weaving wind, and Niria in working the ocean, right?
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45
Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 13:44I think we have almost enough minor characters. We still need a ship’s cook, a first mate, an alchemist-in-residence, and perhaps a couple with unspecified jobs that exist as comic relief. And maybe a ship’s cat. Or a ship’s Pukis. Pukises are creatures in Lithuanian mythology that look like cats but turn into small dragons when their home is threatened. What do you think?
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FrigidSymphony
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 13:53Pirate novels must have vikings in them, or guys who ride around in longboats with dragons carved into ‘em and warriors with long hair, beards and axes.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 15:15We still haven’t decided on a main character.
I know! How about the powder monkey?
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48
fellowmuser
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 15:18~~~POPO~~~
RRR? Huh?
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49
Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 15:1845- A ship’s Pukis, definitely.
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 15:2047- Yes yes yes! Neither cabin boy (girl) or stowaway, both of whom were too overused.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 15:29How about the main character’s uncle (his only family) was killed by the Sanguiz Empire for printing an unfavorable article about Emperor Sanguinus IX. Our main character is now in a port and stows away aboard a merchant ship, because the Empire is after him too. He’s found by the captain and is about to get a whipping when the Sea Roc shows up and captures the merchants. The main character tells Captain Pye that he’s willing to work, and old Krakeneater sets him up as a powder monkey. What happens after that depends on what is RR’Ritten.
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52
Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 16:0851- I just looked up sanguine. Very clever!
When are we going to start writing?
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Purple Panda
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 16:13So what’s our basic plot? What do our characters want to achieve?
(just trying to form a basic story-skeleton)
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 16:13The ship’s Pukis:
A sort of creamy-blond-furred kitten, female, who morphs into a creature like an ivory-scaled snake with lizard legs and golden-feathered wings. Often found perching on the captain’s shoulder. What should her name be? Also, what is the main character like?
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 16:2653- Let’s overthrow the emperor. Or at least his fleet, since maybe wrecking the empire is a bit much for one book. Or not. Also, the Sea Roc and her captain and crew are now wanted for harboring our powder monkey.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 16:58Yeah, let’s have the Sea Roc overthrow Sanguinus’s fleet at the end of the book.
How about the ship’s cook, doctor and alchemist are all the same person, and he/she has to be careful not to mix up his/her ingredients. Anyone want to make up our alchookter
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 17:29As soon as we have the alchookter, let’s start writing.
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 18:04Wouldn’t that be Alchooktor?
Well, I’m bad at it, so I’ll leave it to someone else.
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Pyro
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 18:2056-I actually think the whole fleet is also a bit much, so how about just the terrible “Blood Storm”, the 200-gun prize flagship of the Sanguiz Navy?
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 18:5659- 200 gun!!!!! Sounds like a plan.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 19:14Do you mind if I do the alchooktor? Nobody else seems to want it. And capturing the flagship sounds like a good climax. Let’s go with that. After all, if we make this a series, the defeat of Sanguiz should take more than one story.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 19:42Vushtek di Fundermullt.
Alchemist, ship’s cook and doctor, or as he calls it, “alchooktor.” A fat, jolly, dark-skinned man, he is a great fighter when he’s roused. He completed his intermediate degree in alchemy at the Alchemical School of Hermetopolis with honors. Unfortunately, the last vacancy in the advanced class he applied for was also desired by an untalented cousin of Emperor Sanguinus. Vushtek was dropped in favor of the royal relative. Furious, he signed on aboard the Sea Roc as cabin boy. Captain Pye recognized Vushtek’s talent for improvisation when the alchemist blew up three naval ships with only pickles, coffee beans, and a pinch of alchemical powder that normally wouldn’t even singe a Pukis’s whiskers. Over the years, Vushtek’s job description has increased, as has his waistline.
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 20:02That’s very, very, good.
Unfortunately, we still don’t even know the name of our main character, much less his personality.
I’m simply awful at names. How about Tam?
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 20:05Mind if I begin?
Ren Splayr dashed down the narrow alley, the loose soles of his sandals flapping on its damp bricks. The whistles of the soldiers weren’t far behind. Ren hoped he could get to the seafront before they caught him and he went the same way as his uncle. Perlan Ethor, Ren’s only remaining family, had taken him in when his mother died and his father disappeared. Now Perlan was gone too, shot by the captain of the guard for writing an article about corruption in the Sanguiz Empire. Funny how a few strokes of ink in the Hermetopolis Gazette could translate into a puff of alchemical smoke, a flying musket ball, and death. Ren was wanted too, simply for knowing Perlan and “possible aiding and abetting propaganda against our glorious Emperor Sanguinus IX.”
Ren’s only hope was to stow away aboard a merchant ship bound for the opposite side of Sphaere, all the way across the Inner Sea.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 20:0663- I hit “submit” before your comment got moderated. Tam could work, but I already wrote Ren. We could change it, though.
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 20:1565- Ren’s fine. I don’t care one way or the other, and we can use Tam for someone else if we want. In fact, why don’t we make Francis Tam, since Francis doesn’t really fit. Tam Eizid.
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Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 20:23I’ll continue.
“Where are you running to, boy?” said a gruff voice, and Ren looked up into the eyes of a man. Probably a sailor of high rank, to judge by his clothes. Maybe even a captain. He wore a very large and ridiculous three-cornered hat. In spite of his present state, Ren wanted to laugh, but there was no time. He dodged the man, and sped off down the alley again.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 21:30Octavio Pye watched the boy go. He automatically sized him up. Limber, agile, small for his age of maybe fourteen… he would be a good powder monkey. Why was he in such a hurry?
A bunch of officious-looking people in the uniforms of Imperial soldiers rushed down the alley after the boy. Octavio was experienced at looking as though he had no idea what was going on. The guards didn’t question him.
So the boy is in trouble with the Sanguiz Empire, Octavio mused. I think he won’t refuse a job aboard the Sea Roc.
He turned and took one of the many shortcuts he knew to the harbor.
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69
Alice
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 22:55Ren ran on, his heart pounding in his chest, his breath coming ragged. He reached the harbor, and looked wildly from side to side for a place to hide. The soldiers were gaining, and there was nowhere to go.
Nowhere except the stinking black water of the harbor.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 2nd, 2007 @ 23:14One of the soldiers, a lean, athletic one, pulled ahead, raising his musket to his shoulder. Ren leaped into the sea, hearing the bullet whiz over his head.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 3rd, 2007 @ 11:28With a loud sploosh, the water closed over him. He fought to get to the surface, flailing wildly. When he reached it, though, he almost wished he hadn’t. Three soldiers were pointing guns at him, and looked like they intended to use them.
There were three loud cracks, and Ren cringed, expecting to feel the bullets smashing into his chest. But they didn’t. He looked up to see the soldiers clutching their injured hands, their unfired muskets on the ground beside them.
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 3rd, 2007 @ 13:07What happened? thought Ren. The soldiers were pushed out of the way as a man with a long beard and a green robe pulled him out of the water with a grip as strong as a lion’s. The man, judging by his appearance was an alchemist, maybe a doctor. “Come on! We must hurry! These soldiers will wake up and call for reinforcement very soon.” Ren had no choice but to follow the alchemist through the crowds of people, hoping that wherever he was going, it was somewhere safe.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 3rd, 2007 @ 13:32The alchemist stopped in front of a small three-masted ship moored at an out-of-the-way corner of the dock.
“Vushtek!” came a cry from on board. “You found him!”
“Yes, and I’m being pursued. Let me up, quick!”
A head poked over the rail. It was the man from the alley. “If they catch up to you, they’ll be sorry they messed with the crew of Octavio Pye. Tzil? Niria? I need a wind.”
Ren dimly noticed a man in blue and white clothing raising a hand, and a strong breeze blowing across the waterfront. A weatherweaver, he thought, but he wasn’t surprised. His head was still reeling from hearing the name of Octavio Pye. Octavio Pye! The dreaded Captain Krakeneater of the pirate ship Sea Roc!!
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74
Alice
in April 3rd, 2007 @ 14:29Oh, I’m excited just reading about it!
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When Ren came to, he was lying on a berth in a ship that rolled alarmingly beneath him. It took him a few minutes to remember where he was and what had happened, and he would have gladly slipped back into unconsciousness and forgotten all about it again. He groaned, and almost wished that the soldiers had caught him. What they would do to him couldn’t be much worse than what was going to happen to him now, he thought. But then again, he was still alive, and he wouldn’t be if the pirates hadn’t saved him.
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75
Alice
in April 3rd, 2007 @ 22:30The door opened and a boy came in. He was perhaps two years older than Ren and carrying a pile of clothes. “You’re awake,” he said with obvious surprise.
“Yes.” And I wish I wasn’t, he added silently.
“I brought you some dry clothes,” said the older boy. “And when you’re dressed, Captain Pye would like a word with you.” And he left.
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76
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 3rd, 2007 @ 23:29Ren slowly dressed into the brown corduroy shirt and maroon panties the boy had brought him. He stumbled out of the cabin and onto the main deck of the ship. All around him, pirates were pulling ropes, swabbing the decks, or playing cards. Over in a corner, the boy who had brought him the clothes silently scrubbed the wooden deck, every once in a while being kicked by a man in a long cerulean robe and striped pantaloon. Ren walked over to the side of the ship and looked out into the cool, clear waters. The splash of the waves that hit the ship and the caw of the seagulls all seemed to mock him. I wish I was back home in Hermetopolis, thought Ren.
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77
Alice
in April 4th, 2007 @ 11:06I dreamed about this, so my brain is addled and I can’t post right now. Maybe later.
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78
Alice
in April 4th, 2007 @ 14:57I think I’m sufficiently un-addled to write now.
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“Ah, there you are,” said a voice.
Ren spun around and found himself face to face with Octavio Pye. “I want to get off,” he said flatly.
“I think we had better talk about this in my cabin,” said the captain, and steered Ren down below.
“I want to get off,” Ren repeated when they were in the captain’s cabin. “I want to go home.”
“You have no home, if I am correct in my guessing. In Hermetopolis, you were on the run from the law. You were about to be killed.”
Ren could not deny this, though he wanted to.
“I need a powder monkey,” continued Captain Pye. “You need safety. Is it a deal?”
Ren closed his eyes, and nearly shook his head, when the full truth came home to him. He paused, reliving the moment of his uncle’s death. He opened his eyes.
“It’s a deal.”
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 4th, 2007 @ 16:20“Good, then. Report to me tomorrow morning at 5:45 sharp. I will give you your duties then. For today, explore the ship! Learn everything you can today, because starting tomorrow, if you fail, you will be punished.”
Ren gulped. What kind of punishments? he thought. He’d heard of pirates and how they hurt and killed their prisoners. They’d walk the planks, get flogged, or even be shot! Ren was not sure if he was considered a prisoner, but after seeing the way that cabin boy was treated on the deck, Ren knew that Captain Pye was harsh on punishments.
“Aye aye, sir…er, captain,” Ren quickly said. He spun around, and ran back out to the main deck, trying to get as far away from Captain Pye as possible.
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80
Alice
in April 4th, 2007 @ 17:19Wow. Captain Pye is becoming quite a formidable character.
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81
Alice
in April 4th, 2007 @ 18:01I’m about ready to start what will be known in later years as the Battle for the Kind Captain, in other words, I’m protecting my imagery. But how to do that?
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“Boy!” said Captain Pye.
Ren stopped, terrified, and turned around. “Yes, sir?”
“Are you frightened of me?”
“Yes, sir,” said Ren woodenly.
“You needn’t be.”
“Yes, sir.”
“STOP!” bellowed Octavio Pye. “Stop saying that!”
“Ye- alright, sir.”
The captain put his head in his hands and sighed. Then he took off his hat, and Ren saw that he was completely bald, though he couldn’t have been fifty yet. “Why are you frightened?”
“You’re a pirate, sir. You just told me you’d punish me, and I saw the cabin boy being beaten just now-”
“What!”
“He was being beaten, sir, while he scrubbed the deck.”
“I know for a fact that the cabin boy is asleep in the bows at this very moment.”
“No, he’s not.” Somehow Ren couldn’t stop himself, he knew he was talking back to a pirate captain, but he was so frightened he didn’t even care.
The captain took no notice, but replaced his hat and rushed onto the deck. Ren sat with wobbly knees and a stomach turned to jelly, and wished that none of it had ever happened.
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So there!
I mean that in the friendliest of ways, of course.
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82
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 4th, 2007 @ 20:33Ok. The captain is a very nice character, now. Right now, though, I am going to write in first person, because I like doing that a lot. I’ll be writing as Captain Pye, but you can go back to third-person later.
____________________________________________________
The boy worried me. He was brave, that was for sure. But he was prideful and bold. Still, that wasn’t what was bothering me. I can’t place my finger on it. Hmm.
Suddenly, it hit me. The boy had no knowledge of his powers. That he was the sole key to the galaxy’s greatest treasures! This means he had no idea his father was Rifle Ryan, one of the most feared pirates in all of Sphaere! Oh no! I have to think about this. I went over and sat down on a barrel. And what of the cabin boy? Did he know his powers? Ay ay ay! What to do when you have two of the most powerful people in the known universe, and they don’t even realize it?
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83
Alice
in April 4th, 2007 @ 20:5582- Um, the cabin boy is asleep in the bows, right? The boy who was being beaten was the midshipman, Tam Eizid. I think. At least, when he brought Ren the clothes that’s who I thought he was. He could be the cabin boy though if you want. Just say the word. I’m not sure it’s fair, technically, because I made Tam up and he’s a favorite of mine. He was Francis originally. (See posts 35, 43, and 66.) I do need follow-up on this though, or else I’ll get really confused.
Where’s everyone else, anyway? We’re the only two people on this thread.
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84
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 4th, 2007 @ 22:03I don’t know where everyone else is. Prarilius left a while ago. Sorry! I thought the boy who brought Ren the clothes and the boy who was being beaten was the cabin boy. Sorry! From now on the boy who was being beaten was Tam Eizid, the midshipman. Now, on with the story. By the way, where did Prarilius go? He hasn’t posted on the Pie Isle thread in a while either. Maybe, people don’t think pirates are all that interesting. No offense. I personally think that pirates are the coolest people ever.
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85
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 4th, 2007 @ 22:05Also, I forgot to add that the switch of the cabin boy to Tam means that in my post as Captain Pye, the other boy with power is Tam, not the lazy cabin boy, whom I have decided to name Arnold, because I am tired of calling him Cabin Boy.
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86
davidude
in April 4th, 2007 @ 22:09*yawns* no your not the only two people here. but i cant post right now becuz im really sleepy and must go to bed…
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87
Alice
in April 5th, 2007 @ 10:3084- You don’t have to be sorry. The midshipman is an officer and therefore not supposed to work, but let’s say that the other pirates make him work, and he’s soft so he does.
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Captain Pye walked over to where Tam Eizid was scrubbing the deck.
“What are you doing?” he asked, though he knew perfectly well. “This is the cabin boy’s job.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The cabin boy is getting positively lazy. I haven’t seen him working once this week, but all his jobs are getting done. I was beginning to think we had a fairy aboard. But no, it’s you, isn’t it?”
Tam nodded miserably.
“You go and attend to your own duties. And wake Arnold while you’re at it. Where’s that new boy?”
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88
FrigidSymphony
in April 5th, 2007 @ 11:0884: vikings are way cooler than pirates. Even though vikings are pirates of a sort, too… Hey, if you stick a viking-ish pirate group in, I’ll start writing too.
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89
Alice
in April 5th, 2007 @ 12:3488- Alright, there can be some pirates from the northern side of Spheare that are like vikings.
Gotta go. I’ll write more later.
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90
FrigidSymphony
in April 5th, 2007 @ 14:02Ok, synthesis?
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91
Lord Ragevuire the Shadow Mage
in April 5th, 2007 @ 14:21Can a minor character be an animal?
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92
Alice
in April 5th, 2007 @ 14:3590- You mean summary? Synopsis?
Ren Splayr’s last remaining relative was killed by the Sanguiz empire for publishing an article about the degeneration of the empire. Ren was about to be killed, but he was rescued by the Freebooters, under Captain Octavio “Krakeneater” Pye.
In the end they conquer the 200 gun flagship of the Sanguiz Empire’s fleet.
91- See post 54, the ship’s Pukis.
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93
Lord Ragevuire the Shadow Mage
in April 5th, 2007 @ 14:38Actually never mind. My charcter’s an animal. Period.
________________________
Ren wandered about waiting for somethig to to happen so he could stop waiting for nothing. As he walked a small figure (if you would call it that) rushed across the deck. It resembled a small wingless dragon. A golden one. It skreeched when it saw Ren and vanished in a flash of fire.
A skreeth! thought Ren a Dragon-pheonix!
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94
fellowmuser
in April 5th, 2007 @ 16:58Can somebody please tell me what’s going on here?
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95
Alice
in April 5th, 2007 @ 17:2594- Ren Splayr’s last remaining relative was killed by the Sanguiz empire for publishing an article about the degeneration of the empire. Ren was about to be killed, but he was rescued by the Freebooters, under Captain Octavio “Krakeneater” Pye.
Captain Pye know Ren and the midshipman, Tam, have special powers, something I forgot in my previous synopsis. (Sorry.)
In the end they conquer the 200 gun flagship of the Sanguiz Empire’s fleet.
Not sure what’s up with the skreeth though.
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96
Prarilius Canix
in April 5th, 2007 @ 18:2493- Actually, we already decided that the ship’s cat would be a Pukis (catlike dragon), and two fantastic creatures are a bit much for one ship. Here’s my edit:
As he walked, a small figure (if you could call it that) rushed across the deck. It resembled a small, winged dragon with ivory scales and golden pinions. It made a noise similar to a caterwaul, then transformed into a skinny, cream-furred kitten that dashed around the corner of a cabin and out of sight.
A pukis! thought Ren. One of the fiercely protective dragon-cats from the Free Island of Lithuslov!
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97
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 5th, 2007 @ 19:38Thanks for clarifying that Prarilius! I’ll continue:
But what was a Pukis doing here aboard the Sea Roc? He followed the Pukis around the corner, and then through a corridor, but it was gone. Ren looked around and then saw a flash of ivory scales and followed the Pukis through a small trapdoor halfway covered by a barrel of apples. Without thinking, Ren hopped down through the hole in the floor and found Captain Pye leaning over a desk. The Pukis flew up onto the pirate’s shoulder and perched itself there, before transforming back into a kitten.
“Well, hi there, Marmalade! How’s it going? Is everyone behaving?” the captain asked the Pukis.
Marmalade purred and pointed towards Ren.
The captain turned around in his chair to see what Marmalade was gesturing towards. When he saw Ren, his face grew red with anger, and then his face turned back to its normal pigment, as he calmed down and grew a calm, almost embarrassed, expression.
“Well, you’ve found my treasure hut. I guess you’ll be questioning me from now on unless I tell you. So sit down, and I will tell you all,” said Captain Pye, gesturing towards a small stool in the corner.
Ren did not understand a single thing that was going on, so, seeing as he had no other choice, pulled the stool over towards the captain and sat down.
“Now,” began the captain,” I will tell you all…”
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98
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 5th, 2007 @ 19:40Sorry I wrote so much. I just thought this was an important part to cover details in, since it is (I think)leading up to an important scene.
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99
Lord Ragevuire the Shadow Mage
in April 5th, 2007 @ 20:0396-fine…
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100
Alice
in April 5th, 2007 @ 20:0897- That wasn’t really supposed to all be in italics, was it?
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101
Lord Ragevuire the Shadow Mage
in April 5th, 2007 @ 20:2297-Uh, they’re on a ship…
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102
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 5th, 2007 @ 23:28100-No sorry! I forgot to put an end on it.
101-I know they’re on a ship! I have been writing since the beginning of the story! Ships can have secret compartments!!!
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103
Purple Panda
in April 6th, 2007 @ 07:39Can I join in? I’ve read all the posts on the thread. I don’t really want to finish what Captain Pye says, because I’m just joining, but I’ll add a bit of filler description.
————-
Ren sat uncomfortably on the wooden stool. The wood was poorly cut, and had severe water damage. When he shifted his position on the stool, a faint creaking sound emerged from the legs. There were four of them, and they were quite thin and taking on a green tinge. Ren sat on his hands, as he usually does when he is uncomfortable, but vetoed that idea soon after he tried it, as the wood was so rough. Little splinters of wood stuck to his hands, and he tried to inconspicuously pick the slivers out of his skin. Captain Pye looked at him strangely, so he put his hands in his lap and focused all of his attention on the Captain.
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104
Prarilius Canix
in April 6th, 2007 @ 12:45“…about our plan,” the captain finished. “We’ve been collecting treasure of all kinds from merchant ships, naval ships, and even those two-timing privateers. Eventually, we hope to get enough so that we can set ourselves up in society as respectable people. Then-” he grinned sardonically- “we can stop bringing society down from the outside, and start bringing society down from the inside. Sanguiz IX won’t last forever, and he has twelve children. The eldest ones are triplets. While they’re fighting over the throne, we can probably carve out a good-sized chunk of Sphaere for ourselves, where people can live without being bled dry by taxes or getting shot for speaking the truth. Money always helps- bribing public officials can get you anywhere if the price is high enough. And then, when we’ve got a proper country-colony-whatchacallit, with its own army and Alchemist Corps, we’ll take over Sphaere, and hand it over to the people.”
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105
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 6th, 2007 @ 20:23“So you’re like good pirates, then, right?” Ren asked timidly.
“Well, sort of. We attack people for goods, but usually it is the rich we attack, and we give half of what we got to the poor. Sometimes,” at this the captain stopped for a while, staring down at the floor. “Sometimes, we do have to kill people, though. It is only because they stand in our way.” But this was enough emotional content for the pirate at that moment, for he soon piped up, and told Ren to follow him into his cabin.
At the cabin, Captain Pye started looking in his numerous dressers and drawers, and under papers around his desk. Finally, he found what he was looking for and exclaimed,”Here we are!”
He pulled out a golden sphere, with all of the known lands in Sphaere on it. From inside, Ren noticed, came a faint red glow. The golden globe made Ren shiver. It seemed as if a whole power came from inside the sphere, and it beckoned for Ren to use the power.
“Inside this globe, know as the Orb of Centaur, is a power stronger than every military member of the Sanguiz Empire Army, combined,” said the captain. “There are only two people who can control it. And now, I have both of them on my ship.”
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106
Alice
in April 6th, 2007 @ 21:04“Who?” asked Ren, unsure if he really wanted to know.
“Well, one of them is Tam Eizid. The boy you saw being beaten, who is not, in fact, the cabin boy, but the midshipman. He feels rather sorry for the crew, I’m afraid, and seems to have made a habit out of doing other people’s work. The other one…” he paused. “Well, the other one is you.”
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107
Prarilius Canix
in April 6th, 2007 @ 21:36Ren was too stunned to answer. Captain Pye continued. “There are four essential elements in Sphaere, and talented people can work with any of them. Alchemists work with earth. They are very common, in fact people who do not have alchemical talent are rare. Stormmaster is a generic term for weatherweavers, who work air, and waveworkers, who work water. The fourth class is so rare that it doesn’t even have a name. They work with fire. You and Tam are of that kind.”
He picked up the orb again. “This, of course, isn’t the real orb, just a replica made alchemically from our best knowledge of its appearance. The real orb is in a steel strongbox in a locked compartment aboard the 200-gun flagship of the Sanguiz Navy, the Blood Storm.”
((Sorry, if you wanted that to be the real orb, but I don’t think that it’s fair for them to have this amazing power at the beginning of the story.))
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108
Alice
in April 6th, 2007 @ 21:47107- Good, it ought to take a while.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Oh,” said Ren, wondering what that odd mix of disappointment and elation and shock was called, if it even had a name. “Does the other boy know? Tam?”
“Actually, I strongly suspect Tam may be a girl.”
Ren sat down heavily on the floor of the cabin and winced.
“Sorry, Ren,” said Octavio Pye, smiling a little bit, as he helped Ren up off the floor.
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109
fellowmuser
in April 6th, 2007 @ 23:3095- Thank you!
I’m not much of a serious story writer. I go for more humor and comedic-type stories.
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110
Purple Panda
in April 7th, 2007 @ 07:53Ren grabbed Pye’s large, calloused hand and stood up, putting all of his weight on Pye’s arm. The Captain walked out of the cabin, and Ren followed, hearing the wood groan beneath his feet. Ren walked over to the edge of the boat and looked down at the water splashing against the side of the boat. Captain Pye was pacing near the door of his cabin. Ren looked closely at his hat – The Captain was famous for his large tricorn hat. Ren looked back out on the water, and saw that it was turning a darker color. Little ripples began appearing on the surface of the navy water, and Ren knew a storm was coming. He walked over to the Captain to tell him about the weather, but it seemed that Pye already knew. His head was tilted slightly upward, and his nose was working over-time trying to figure out where the storm was coming from, and where it was headed. Captain Pye’s strongest sense was his nose, at least when it came to detecting storms.
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111
Red-tailed HAWK
in April 7th, 2007 @ 08:07If it’s OK to start writing late in the story, here is some more. If not, just ignore this post.
Captain Pye stared at Ren. He pulled on his hat. He sniffed again. And then he said those terrible words, “It’s coming from the South”.
I don’t know which direction is the worst for storms to come from, but there is my weird and probably not-wanted part.
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112
Alice
in April 7th, 2007 @ 10:15111- Of course it’s wanted! And my dad says that South is the worst direction for storms to come from, at least around here.
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113
Purple Panda
in April 7th, 2007 @ 12:45111 – Yes, definitely start writing! But make sure you read everything so far so you’re all caught up. I have a question: why would Pye take his hat off? Doesn’t he wear it to conceal his bald head?
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114
shadow049
in April 7th, 2007 @ 18:36but..but….but… what happened to the other RRR?
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115
Prarilius Canix
in April 7th, 2007 @ 19:28114- As far as I know, it’s still around.
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116
Prarilius Canix
in April 7th, 2007 @ 19:39“Tzil! Niria! I need you on deck!” bellowed the Captain. “We have to quell the storm!”
A man in blue and white clothing rushed up to them, followed by a young woman of about 20 years. “We’ll do our best, Captain,” said the woman, “but there’s something wrong about these waves… ”
Tzil licked his finger and raised it up. Small strands of lightning seemed to crackle across the tip. “Niria’s right,” he said urgently. “This is a made storm.”
“Can you quell it?” the captain asked.
“Well… together, Niria and I are a match for any lone stormmaster on the Inner Sea, but this one must have been sent by a confederation of twenty, possibly more. We need to find a safe harbor, and fast.”
The captain considered for a moment, then began barking orders. “All sails up, crew! Niria, make sure the waves don’t swamp us. Tzil, keep the wind to a moderate level so the canvas doesn’t burst. We’re going to ride this storm out until we can reach the isle of Lithuslov.”
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117
Alice
in April 7th, 2007 @ 20:21114- Which?
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118
Purple Panda
in April 8th, 2007 @ 14:02Ren stood still as confusion immediately fell upon the ship, and the crew ran every-which-way, not sure what they were supposed to be doing. He wondered where Lithuslov was.
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119
Alice
in April 8th, 2007 @ 22:52Then he had an idea. He ran up to the captain. “Sir, could I help the weatherweavers? You said I had talent.”
“Not that kind. Fire talent. Ask them.”
Ren trotted up to Tzil and Niria, standing with closed eyes in the middle of the hustle and bustle. “Could I help?” he asked, reluctant to disturb them.
Niria opened her eyes. She closed them, and opened them again. “Tzil. Look!” she said softly. Tzil opened his eyes.
“Did you just ask if you could help?”
Ren nodded. “Can I?”
“Not with this, but you have power.” And he closed his eyes again. Niria shrugged at Ren and went back to muttering spells.
Ren stood on the swaying deck, wishing he could be happy about having power, but knowing it was no good.
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120
Prarilius Canix
in April 9th, 2007 @ 17:31The storm blew out of the south with unbelievable fury and suddenness. Massive towers of cloud piled up in the sky, crowned by lightning. A colossal wave rode the sea before it, driven by the mad wind. The Sea Roc was lifted up by the wave and flung through the air like a toy. Tzil and Niria rose into the air, wreathed in glittering chains of electricity. Ren managed to grab hold of a bulwark and prevent himself from being swept away. Tam Eizid was not so lucky. The midshipman was smashed off the deck by a freezing, gray plume of water. Several seabirds rode its crest, screaming triumphantly.
“Stormy petrels,” Captain Pye muttered. Then he shouted, “Throw Tam a line!” Another wave broke over the deck, making him cough and splutter. He knew the chances of saving Tam were virtually nil, but he had to try.
“It’s no good, Captain,” Tzil said. His voice rang like a bell through the clamor of the storm, even though he didn’t raise his voice. “I recognized those petrels. One of them had a scar above its eye.”
“How does a petrel get a scar like that??”
“I put it there. Those aren’t petrels, they’re wave spirits, and they’re in the service of Rake Vashkar, weatherweaver of the Blood Storm.”
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121
Alice
in April 10th, 2007 @ 12:29Soon the storm faded away, leaving with the petrels. Captain Pye went down below, and the crew hurried around, trying to clean up the mess left by the storm. Ren stood on the deck, shocked and sad. He had never even got a chance to meet Tam, and now he was dead- or captured by the Sanguiz Empire.
Tzil and Niria were asleep down below, tired out by their efforts to quell the storm. Captain Pye was doing who knows what in his cabin. Ren was all alone.
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122
Alice
in April 10th, 2007 @ 12:46I like Tam, and if you want to kill him, you can do so later, or I will. I also like sticking people into the hands of the enemy, and this is a way to kill two stormy petrels/wave spirits with one stone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tam kept his head above water for as long as he could, and eventually the storm quieted. He floated on his back, watching petrels that shouldn’t be there flying above him. Every now and then one would seem to lose shape for a moment, only to resume the form of a petrel a little later. Tam’s head swam, and he realized his limbs were all numb. He wouldn’t survive much longer in this cold.
Then a ship loomed above him. Tam gave a weak yell and attempted to swim out of the way. His frozen legs would hardly obey him. Someone on the ship shouted something, and then down came a rope, whistling through the air from the very high deck of the ship. Tam grabbed it, and was hauled up onto the ship.
“What is it?” asked a voice, accompanied by hurried footsteps.
“Found a boy in the water, sir. ‘E’s half dead.”
“A boy? Really?” The voice seemed much too interested, and not in a good way. “Where do you imagine he came from?”
“I don’t know, sir, but he’s a midshipman, wherever he came from.”
“A midshipman! Ah! Bring him to my cabin!”
“Yes, Mr. Vashkar, sir,” said the seaman, and then Tam lost his senses, and heard no more.
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123
Prarilius Canix
in April 10th, 2007 @ 16:53I wrote post 120 while listening to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.
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124
Purple Panda
in April 10th, 2007 @ 20:54Ren watched Tam drift farther and farther out of sight, until watching his bony body fade into the horizon. He leaned over the edge of the boat, watching the waves from the storm get smaller and smaller, only creating small splashes now. He heard a shout, and turned around suddenly, almost tangling himself in a net crumpled up by his feet. Someone was standing at the stern of the boat, shouting.
“What in the name of –” Captain Pye stormed out of his cabin, but was stopped mid-step when he saw what was going on…
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125
Alice
in April 11th, 2007 @ 12:27I can’t do this. What is going on? My imagination has failed me. No it hasn’t! Ooooh, exciting!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ship’s Pukis, Marmalade, stood on the deck in dragon form, hissinf furiously and spitting fire. Across from it lay a petrel, wounded and unable to walk or change shape.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There, that’s all I’m going to write at the moment, but it should be enough to get things moving again.
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126
Cat's Meow
in April 11th, 2007 @ 18:19Is there still room for me to join? I posted on this thread really early on (Post 6) and I suggested the pirates/fantasy thing, but then I went on vacation and sort of forgot about it for a while.
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127
Alice
in April 11th, 2007 @ 20:27126- I think anyone can join anytime, as long as they read the story first. Or, if they don’t want to, I can give a synopsis, but I’d rather you just read the thread. (No offense.)
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128
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 11th, 2007 @ 22:35Tzil walked over to the petrel-spirit that was lying on the deck. He kicked Marmalade to the side, cursing under his breath. Marmalade spat a small ball of fire at him, then turned back into a kitten and ran over to Captain Pye.
Tzil examined the petrel-spirit, noticing it had a red feather on its right wing, and a scar right above its left eye. “Letor,” whispered Tzil. “Letor! Wake up, I command you!”
The petrel-spirit, Letor, woke up, coughed, and glared at the weatherweaver standing over him.
“Where are they?” Tzil demanded. He shook the bird, who grunted. Letor squinted, trying to turn into a coyote or something that could nip Tzil, but he couldn’t. He was too exhausted.
Tzil grabbed Letor and shook him. “Where are they taking Tam?”
Letor laughed, and said, “I’ll never tell you.”
“Niria!” Tzil called. “Grab the matches. We’re having petrel tonight!”
“OK OK! I’ll tell you!” exclaimed Letor, fearing for his life. “They are going to Helean City, where Modran is preparing for the fight of all Sphaere!”
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129
Alice
in April 12th, 2007 @ 12:02“Who’s Modran?” piped up Ren.
“The Emperor’s Commander-in-chief,” replied Captain Pye.
“Do they have any idea of his powers?” Tzil continued his interrogation.
“No,” gasped Letor. “What powers?”
“Then why do they want him?”
“Bait. He’s a favorite of yours, isn’t he, Captain? You won’t just let him die.”
“But we still have the advantage,” said the captain under his breath.
How wrong he was.
Even Tzil had no idea what good liars wave spirits were.
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130
Prarilius Canix
in April 12th, 2007 @ 16:49Tam woke in a dark room. It was a few minutes before he realized that his hands were tied to the sides of the hard, wooden chair he was sitting on. An alchemical lamp, a crystal globe filled with phlogiston, shone blindingly into his face. As a result, the features of the man sitting across from him were unclear. The voice, however, was anything but. It cut through his throbbing head like a knife.
“Hello, Tam.”
“Who are you?” Tam rasped. “How do you know my name?”
“My faithful spirits have been following the Sea Roc for several weeks. The only reason we haven’t attacked it is that we didn’t want to damage you.”
“Why the heck am I so important?”
“Tell me, Tam. Are you happy aboard the Sea Roc?”
“Well, Captain’s pretty strict, and I don’t have the best position, but it’s better than the life I left behind…”
“I could get you a job aboard the Blood Storm. Any position, even first mate. Wages of up to ten aurums a day, luxurious lodgings- oh, anything you desire.”
Tam snorted. It sounded like a good deal, but these things always did at first, and he wasn’t sure he trusted this silver-tongued stranger. “What’s the catch?”
“We want you to do us a favor.”
“What is that?”
The man reached into a deep pocket and pulled out a small, golden globe, engraved with images of all the lands of Sphaere. It gleamed in the light from the phlogiston lamp, but also seemed to produce a more subtle light from within.
“We want you to use this in the service of Emperor Sanguinus IX.”
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131
pie parade
in April 12th, 2007 @ 17:57“Wow…” thought Tam. He didn’t know if he should accept the offer. Something sounded fishy about this man and all he had to offer. “Can I think about it?” asked Tam. “Sure, sure take as much time as you want…just remember the Blood Storm is waiting for you” and with that the man dissappeared.
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132
Purple Panda
in April 12th, 2007 @ 21:08Question for someone—what exactly is Tam supposed to do with the globe and the Emperor?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tam rested his head against the surprisingly hard wooden wall. It looked brand new, unlike the wood of the Sea Roc, which still held up well, but was starting to show signs of weathering, and always seemed damp. He did not trust the strange man, however intriguing his offer was. Something about his spirit and the Sea Roc…and the emperor.
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133
Alice
in April 12th, 2007 @ 21:46132- Oh,uh… Use it, I guess. Summon up amazing powers. You know.
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134
Alice
in April 13th, 2007 @ 12:16Two years ago, Tam had stowed away on a exploring ship, heading out of Spheare. Halfway across the Inner Sea, The Sea Roc had attacked them. Tam, who had remained hidden for weeks, was discovered by the first mate. Given the choice between death or a job aboard the pirate ship, Tam chose the obvious. He was made midshipman, having proved that he was strangely unused to work. The pirates, even Octavio Pye, knew nothing of his past. Tam had managed to mostly forget it himself, too.
Tam had been trained, in those two years, never to trust the emperor or any of his minions. Which was why he was reluctant to take the offer. But what would happen if he refused?
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135
Cat's Meow
in April 13th, 2007 @ 17:31127-Will do.
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136
Cat's Meow
in April 13th, 2007 @ 17:59Okay, I read it all. I’ll create another minor character, assuming nobody objects.
Tera is an *insert position here, I haven’t decided yet* on the Blood Storm. She has brown hair down to about her shoulders and a fierce personality. She has very high confidence in herself due to the fact that she is one of Sanguinus IX’s 12 children, the 4th oldest. (Just below the triplets)
That’s what I have so far.
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137
Cat's Meow
in April 13th, 2007 @ 18:00Sorry for triple post, but I forgot to add something to my description.
She is the same age as Tam and slowly befriends him/her (was there a desicion reached on Tam’s gender?).
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138
Prarilius Canix
in April 13th, 2007 @ 19:17No objection. It would add some moral complexity if Tam befriends a potential heir to the Sanguiz Empire.
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139
pie parade
in April 13th, 2007 @ 19:19i picture Tam as a boy
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140
Cat's Meow
in April 13th, 2007 @ 21:39138-Okay, thanks.
139-Me too, but I know that the Captain said “Actually, I strongly suspect Tam may be a girl.” I think it depends on whether we want to follow up on his hunch.
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141
Purple Panda
in April 14th, 2007 @ 06:35Yeah, I wasn’t really sure what Tam’s gender was, but someone said “he,” so I followed suit.
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142
Alice
in April 14th, 2007 @ 12:07Well, once upon a time there was a character named Francis, who didn’t quite fit into the story she was created for. I tried to put her into this story, but I thought maybe that it shouldn’t be decided if he/she was really a girl in disguise. Francis didn’t work as a name so I changed it to Tam. I think of him as a boy too, now, but since he’s pushed his past as far away as possible, he could be anything. Let’s just say he’s a boy for now.
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143
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 14th, 2007 @ 13:14134-How did Captain Pye know Tam had extraordinary powers if he did not know anything about his past? Were there hints to the pirates in his actions? Never mind. I’ll answer that.
————————————————————————–
Back on the Sea Roc, Ren asked the captain a question that had been floating around in his mind.
“How did you know that Tam and I were the ones with the fire power stuff?”
“That is an interesting question. We found out you were from a stowaway fortune teller on our ship. The gypsy had a vision in which he saw your face and knew exactly where you were, which is how we ended up finding you.”
“What happened to the gypsy?”
“Oh, him? We made him walk the plank. Niria found him sneaking around the ship with a scabbard one night. She cornered him and found out he was trying to kill me, although why is a mystery I will never find the answer to.
“Now Tam, he was harder to figure it out. By the time we had found the stowaway gypsy, we knew he was one of the Powerful, but it took us a while to figure it out. Tam had served aboard our ship for a whole year before we learned his secret. Not even he knew he was a Powerful. It was in his actions. When we first captured him, er, hired him, we noticed that Marmalade took a sudden liking to him, which was very strange. Other times, when we he was swabbing the deck for example, swarms of fish would surround our ship and one time, during a fierce sea storm, a dolphin even appeared and did a flip in the air, before diving back underwater. But the thing that really gave him away was when he entered my cabin one day, looking very upset(he had just been beaten again) and all of the candles went out.”
“Does Tam know he is a Powerful?” Ren asked.
“No, not yet. And now he might not ever,” said the captain, a faraway look in his eyes.
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144
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 14th, 2007 @ 13:14Why is it all in italics?
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145
Alice
in April 14th, 2007 @ 13:29144- Yuo probably forgot to end them.
I like your explanation.
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146
Rebecca Lasley (Administrator)
in April 14th, 2007 @ 13:40(144) After “Sea Roc” you forgot to put the slash mark before the “i” to turn off the italics.
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147
Alice
in April 14th, 2007 @ 16:19“Why did you tell me but not Tam?” Ren wanted to know.
“Because you stumbled on the treasure room and he didn’t.”
“Why do you think Tam is a girl?”
“My, you do ask a lot of questions,” sighed the Captain.
“Yes. Why did you?”
“And you’re persistent. I suppose because he’s so soft. And when he first came on board he seemed to be afraid of us ‘finding him out’, as he put it. I also had a childhood friend who disguised herself as a boy once, so I suppose I’m always on the lookout.”
Ren was barely listening anymore. “He told you he was afraid of being found out? That’s weird.”
“Hardly. He used to talk in his sleep.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There! I like Tam being a boy now, so I fixed it so that the captain’s theory was less creditable. Also he has some secret, so that’s exciting.
I once read a book that was told in first person, and it managed to keep secret that the narrarator was in fact a girl for almost the entire book. Just saying that anything’s possible if you write it the right way.
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148
Prarilius Canix
in April 14th, 2007 @ 18:58The storm had calmed, and the Sea Roc was drifting slowly in a gentle breeze. The horizon was featureless except for a purple-gray blur to the north.
“What is that?” Ren inquired.
Pye followed his gaze. “The isle of Lithuslov. We’ll stop there for now. Who knows what sort of weather Rake Vashkar is sending towards us. We’ll be able to survive a storm better if we’re in a harbor.”
“But Lithuslov is uninhabited.”
“As far as the Empire knows, which isn’t very far at all. There used to be a small village of Pukis trappers-”
Marmalade hissed, interrupting him. Pye glared at the Pukis, then continued.
“-which is now a thriving free port, the biggest in the six Free Isles.”
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149
pie parade
in April 14th, 2007 @ 19:07“Ok so let’s stop there”Ren said. “Will they have food?” Ren asked.
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150
Alice
in April 15th, 2007 @ 11:56“Food?” repeated the captain. “Food as you’ve never seen before, Ren. The wealthy have skreeth egg ommelettes and orange punch for breakfast. Of course,” he added at Ren’s awed expression, “we’ll probably be eating stale bread and sour beer at some moldy old inn, but one can still dream.”
“Oh.” Ren stared disappointed out at the dark waves. “How do you know what the wealthy eat, anyway?”
“I wasn’t always a rebel, you know. Once I was the honored captain of His Imperial Majesty’s good ship Victory. I had many a good meal in that time. But when Sanguinus killed my son, I became a pirate. For veangance.
“Or at least it was then. Now, it’s for the good of the people.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You know a lot earlier in post 121, how I said “the storm faded away, leaving with the petrels..” ? Well, I’m going to change that to “The storm began to fade away, leaving with the petrels…” because since that there have been two posts saying that the storm was fading away, and they look good in the proper order, but not if I say that it was already gone.
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151
pie parade
in April 15th, 2007 @ 17:19makes sense
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152
pie parade
in April 15th, 2007 @ 17:21pies to all of ya
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153
pie parade
in April 15th, 2007 @ 17:44potato-top pie
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154
Alice
in April 15th, 2007 @ 17:49152- Why? Why why why are you pieing all the threads?
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155
E2MB
in April 15th, 2007 @ 18:00154 – Yea!
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156
Alice
in April 15th, 2007 @ 18:34Sigh. Is anyone going to post some more of the story?
Anyway, I’ll get back to Tam.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hello!” called an imperious -and female- voice. “Vashkar! Are you in there?”
Tam said nothing, but tried to remember if he had ever heard the name Vashkar before.
“Vashkar!” repeated the voice. “I want to go swimming. You must warm up the water for me.” When there was still no reply, th owner of the voice marched into the cabin. “It’s awfully dark in here,” she complained, and a light flared up.
“Oh!” said the girl. She was about Tam’s age, with brown hair down to her shoulders and a face that seemed to have come right off a coin. The emperor’s face, only younger and more feminine.
The light went out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That’s ’cause Tam’s scared, but I didn’t want to put it up there.
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157
Cat's Meow
in April 15th, 2007 @ 21:14“Who are you!” Tam said as the light flared back into life a moment later. “I could ask the same to you,” the girl hissed. “What are you doing in here? It’s PRIVATE. So leave.” She put her hands on her hips and looked much like Marmalade when she was disturbed from her rest. “I’m in here because some weird guy told me to be. And you?” “I’m here to keep all these stupid men in check and to stop them from caring for stowaways,” she snapped. “In other words, you.”
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158
Alice
in April 15th, 2007 @ 21:49“I’m not a stowaway!” said Tam hotly. “I’m a midshipman!”
“We already have fifteen of them. We don’t need another.”
“I’m not a midshipman here. On my ship.”
“Well then, what are you doing here?”
“I was washed overboard and this ship picked me up. Now leave me alone.” Tam turned his back on her.
“What’s your ship’s name?” asked the girl.
“Why should I tell you?”
“Because I am your superior. I am the fouth child of Emperor Sanguinus IX.”
“Even less reason to tell you!” Tam shot back before he could stop himself. “Now leave me alone, for the last time.”
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159
Alice
in April 16th, 2007 @ 16:10Aahhh! It’s off the main page! No really no one will remember. I will write more of the story, in hopes of livening it up a bit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Even less…” mused the fourth child of Emperor Sanguinus IX. She looked at Tam suspiciously. “Who are you, exactly?”
“Tam Eizid, midshipman.”
The imperial girl chewed one her long fingernails. As Tam was wondering how they stayed so long if she bit them, it grew half an inch. She saw him staring.
“I have alchemical talent.” It was most definitely a boast. It also seemed to get her off the track of wondering who he was. She held out her hand, and Tam took it gingerly. “I’m Tera,” she said.
“Hello, Tera,” said Tam, feeling slightly more confident. That was shattered as she added, “You, of course, will call me Princess.”
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160
Purple Panda
in April 16th, 2007 @ 16:33147 – what book was it? it sounds interesting!
151, 152, 153 – Since this is such a dedicated and strict-subject thread, I am going to give you a large fine of 50 pieces of virtual choklit for popopoing. Please do not do that again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back to Ren: Ren leaned against the railing at the edge of the ship, and saw the strange island growing closer and closer. It was abundant with trees and he saw a gigantic flame in the center of the island.
“Captain,” Ren asked. “Why is there an enormous fire on the island?”
“Aye, that is part of their survival,” the Captain answered. Ren gave him a surprised look…(I have more ideas for this, but mom is calling…more later)
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161
Prarilius Canix
in April 16th, 2007 @ 16:36Just then, the man who had been interrogating Tam walked in. “I’ve done it. The water around the ship is warmed up,” he said obsequiously. However, as he executed a slight bow, a sneer of utter contempt flickered across his face. It said: I know you are currently my superior, but when the tables are turned, you will have to watch out.
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162
Alice
in April 16th, 2007 @ 17:31“Good,” said Tera and left without so much as a thank you.
The man – Vashkar – turned to Tam with a sigh. “And how do you like Her Imperial Highness?”
Tam shook his head. “I don’t want the orb, and I don’t want this stupid power. This is worse than the Sea Roc. This is worse than what came before…” A lone tear traced its way down his cheek, and the candles guttered.
“You are tired,” said Vashkar suavely. “You will no doubt feel differently after a rest. Come, I will lead you to your cabin.” Tam let himself be led like a child to a soft berth, where he immediately fell into a deep and welcome slumber.
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163
Alice
in April 16th, 2007 @ 17:34160- The book was The Printer’s Devil, by Paul Bajoria. Don’t fine me for this! You asked.
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164
Prarilius Canix
in April 17th, 2007 @ 16:30((Back to Ren.))
“The Pukises are beings of flame,” Pye continued. “Just as wave spirits are beings of water. Then there are the orti and trosses, which are spirits of earth and air respectively. That flame is a Pukis nesting ground. The kittens are much more fiery when they hatch. Sort of the same as a baby rattlesnake is more poisonous than its parents, because it doesn’t have fine control over its poison glands.
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165
Alice
in April 17th, 2007 @ 20:19“Oh,” said Ren, and went back to staring at that flickering beacon on the isle. ((Poetic, no?)) “So they’re fire creatures, like me and Tam. That’s why Marmalade took a liking to him.”
The Captain nodded in the dark.
Ren mused sliently for a long while. Finally he said, “Two is an even number.”
“Yes,” agreed Octavio Pye. “What are you getting at?”
“Odd numbers are magic, and even numbers are ordinary, except four and multiples of four. Everyone knows that. So why are there only two with fire talent?”
Captain Pye sighed. “There were more of them once, the fortune-teller said. But they all died in a dreadful fire hundreds of years ago. Only a few people escaped who carried the gift, and their grandchildrens’ grandchildren passed it on. But often a child or even an adult would get to near a fire, that shouldn’t have hurt them, but they would burn to death.”
“Why would they burn?” asked Ren, thinking of the myriad burns he had received standing to close to the fire, and the time he had almost died of a dreadful fever when he was six. A fever was a fire, of a sort.
“Don’t you know?” replied the Captain, surprised. “All those who have talent, of any kind, can only be killed by that element. That is why there were so few with water power after the Deluge. Only those with fire power seem to be more susceptible than others.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yay! I finally invented something!
(Alright, I made up auto-spears on the sci-fi RRR, but mostly my role has been fairly unimaginative.)
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166
Cat's Meow
in April 17th, 2007 @ 21:54“Still, might it be possible that there’s another?” Ren said wistfully.
Captain Pye snorted. “Well, that would be a funny story. Here I was thinking that I’ve got the only two in existance and then there’s another? Pfft. One in a million. No, one in a billion. Sorry boy, but with how common fires are nowadays, there’s no chance that there’s another one like you out there.”
“And Tam’s probably been burned at the stake right now.”
“If he’s lucky.”
“What do you mean, Captain Pye?”
“The Blood Storm’s crew may be vile and cruel, but they’re not stupid. If they figure out what power Tam’s got he’ll wish he’d been dead.”
—
This, of course, leaves open the possibility that there’s another one out there.
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167
Alice
in April 17th, 2007 @ 22:19166- Yeah, I was thinking about there being another one, but I decided that, for now at least, we don’t need another character.
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168
Alice
in April 17th, 2007 @ 22:33“You mean they’ll torture him?”
“Probably, if he doesn’t do what they want. If he does do what they want, it may be like torture.”
“What do you mean?”
“According to all the sources of information on the Orb of Centaur, it’s a very exhausting thing to use. And the Empire won’t be letting him rest all that often. They’ll be after you, too, when Tam’s not able to work it anymore.”
“You mean… dead?” Ren faltered. The Captain did not answer, but his silence seemed to confirm it.
“Well then, we have to rescue him!” cried Ren. This was not mere heroism, it was the longing for another one like him, to be less alone.
“Certainly we do,” said the Captain. “And we will. But for now, they don’t know of his powers. He’s just bait for me. He won’t have the best time of it, but he won’t be tortured yet, either. And in the meantime, we lack fresh fruit. We have to have some, before the crew dies of scurvy. When we’ve refreshed ourselves at Lithuslov, then we can rescue Tam.”
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169
Alice
in April 18th, 2007 @ 15:36The next morning they sailed into Pukislyn, the biggest Free Port inside or outside of Spheare. The Sea Roc dropped anchor in the harbor and most of the crew rowed to the quay. Ren, Niria, and Captain Pye were among the people in the longboats. Tzil stayed behind with the watch to make sure Letor didn’t escape.
The city was twice as busy as Hermetopolis, and nearly everyone was accompanied by a Pukis. Those that weren’t were wearing beautiful coats ranging in color from ivory touched with gold to a deep, fiery red, and it didn’t take a genius to deduce why these people didn’t have Pukis’ riding on their shoulders. Obviously the Pukis fur trade was not as diminished as Captain Pye would like to think.
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170
Cat's Meow
in April 18th, 2007 @ 17:33167-It just leaves the possibility open for later.
—Marmalade dove and leapt through the crowd, touching noses with every other Puki she met. In her excitement she couldn’t quite decide which form to star in, so she was switching from dragon to kitten and back again every instant.
Ren laughed, because in watching the small creature twirl and dance he could, for a moment, forget about his often annoying power.
Unfortunately, the feeling didn’t last long.
—
Ren’s going to have an interesting time if there are this many Pukis since they’re attracted to him. Maybe I should do a Pied Piper-like scene.
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171
Cat's Meow
in April 18th, 2007 @ 17:35We need a new version of this thread. There are only 2 or 3 people that write on it anymore.
In my last post, change the word star to stay. Typo. ^^
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172
Alice
in April 18th, 2007 @ 18:43Can I do the Pied Piper scene? That sounds like fun. It was your idea though.
171- But we only just started!
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173
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 18th, 2007 @ 18:53Sorry I was not able to write for a while. I have been busy with school.
——————————————————————————-
When Tam woke up, he found himself lying on the deck of the [i]Blood Storm[\i]. Crew members were running around all over, climbing up ropes, pulling up sails, and just trying to run for cover. Up by the bow of the ship was a man with a long, red robe, a golden hoop earring in one ear and short, violet hair. He was waving his arms around and shouting, looking out towards the water. Suddenly, the man stopped, and looked straight at Tam. Instantly, Tam knew who it was: Rake Vashkar, the weatherweaver who had caused the storm that brough him over to this wretched ship. A man rushed up to Rake and asked him, “How is the storm going? Are you gaining control?”
Tam, with his keen ears, was able to listen to the response.
“No,” the weatherweaver answered. “It is too much.”
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174
Cat's Meow
in April 18th, 2007 @ 18:54172-Sure you can. I don’t know how I’d describe it anyways. And yes, I know we just started but we’re already off the first page and don’t have many people writing. Maybe we need to advertise.
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175
Alice
in April 18th, 2007 @ 19:56I do advertise! Only it starts to feel like I’m nagging after a while. Maybe if I did it differently…. Anyways, here’s more of the story.
Oh, and Donaldo the SAN, why exactly is Tam on deck?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While Ren laughed at Marmalade, he felt a weight settle on his shoulder. His mirth ceased abruptly. He looked up. An gold-orange Pukis sat there, in dragon form. A slight pressure against his legs made him look down, to see a trio of Pukises in cat form, two ivory and one flame-blue, rubbing against his ankles. “Oh, no,” he heard Captain Pye say, but the arrival of another of the creatures on his other shoulder, and one on his head, made it rather difficult to pay any attention to the world around him.
When every available place on Ren had been filled, the fire beings had to settle for trotting as close to him as possible, or flying around him. He couldn’t move a muscle. There was a brief scuffle on his head as Marmalade claimed her rightful throne. He knew the whole crowd was staring, though he couldn’t see past the sea of kittens and dragons.
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176
Cat's Meow
in April 18th, 2007 @ 21:10175-I’ll try to help somewhat.
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177
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 18th, 2007 @ 21:58175-I have no idea why he was on the deck. Someone just moved him there. I think it adds to the mystery in a weird and annoying way. Also, I would like to say that it seems like we are switching between Tam and Ren a lot. Like, 1 person writes about Ren and in the next post another person writes about Tam, and after that someone writes about Ren and so on and so forth. I think we should settle on one to write about for a while. It helps build suspense.
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178
Alice
in April 18th, 2007 @ 23:35177- We could also just edit it when we compile the story, stick with Ren for a long time, and then switch to Tam for a long time, and then back to Ren, etc, etc.
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179
Cat's Meow
in April 19th, 2007 @ 17:42178-That seems logical to me.
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180
Alice
in April 20th, 2007 @ 16:59Do not abandon me!!!!!!! Please!
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181
Cat's Meow
in April 20th, 2007 @ 17:27I won’t…I’m just trying to think of what to write. I guess I’ve got writer’s block since I’m not sure about what’s going to happen in the rest of the book.
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182
Purple Panda
in April 20th, 2007 @ 18:08I’ve been here all along, but haven’t really had a chance to post for awhile. I’m also getting a bit confused with all the dialogue. Maybe we can do more descriptions for a bit?
An idea I had for the fire: the people on the island throw people/prisoners in it to die or something? So Ren may get into some trouble if that is the case, and it could add some drama to the story.
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183
Alice
in April 20th, 2007 @ 18:12Yeah, I have writer’s block too, else I would have written something in my last post. Anyway, I’ll think about it and I should be able to write in an hour or two.
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184
Alice
in April 20th, 2007 @ 18:21182- I like! You do the description ’cause I’m not so good at it.
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185
Cat's Meow
in April 20th, 2007 @ 18:27182-What fire? You lost me…
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186
Cat's Meow
in April 20th, 2007 @ 18:28Oh, THAT fire. Riiiiight. Smart me. Hehe…n_n
Maybe he could almost get killed by it but then the Pukis could save him (since they like him) but for some reason they can’t go back on the ship so Pye and Ren have to run on land to get to some destination so they can perform some task. Dunno.
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187
Alice
in April 20th, 2007 @ 23:16Okay, I think I’m going to actually write now, as opposed to just talking about writing, which is easier but not as fun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He could hear Captain Pye muttering curses, and Niria trying to disturb the Pukises with her wind magic (not nearly as effective as Tzil’s water magic would have been, had he been there), and hostile mutterings from the crowd, and then a child shrieking, “Nina, Nina!” and his left shoulder became a litle lighter for a moment, as the child pried a Pukis off it. But not for long. The Pukis, Nina, dug her claws deep into his shoulder, and he yelped in pain. “Go on, Nina!” he cried, but not really aloud, only in his head. With a purr that sounded almost like speech, the Pukis released her claws and let herself be cuddled by the little girl, who was staring at Ren as though he was some sort of- Pukis-napper.
But now Ren knew how to get them to leave him alone. He thought hard at them to leave, and most of them did, until Ren was left with the flame-blue one on one shoulder and Marmalade on the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There, does that help your writer’s block, Cat’s Meow?
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188
Prarilius Canix
in April 21st, 2007 @ 13:40((Tzil is wind, Niria is water. We’ll need to edit that.))
Marmalade fluttered over to Captain Pye after a few minutes, leaving only the flame-blue one on his left shoulder. It refused to leave.
Come on! he silently pleaded, but the Pukis would not leave. Ren caught sight of a portly man with a Pukis-pelt scarf making his way towards them. He was holding an empty cage of what looked like solid water, made by a waveworker. The Pukis seemed to notice the man too, because it scuttled behind Ren’s head.
Ah, so that’s how it is, Ren thought at the Pukis. Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here.
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189
Donald the Krakkeneater, Second mate and Navigator of the Sea Roc(and now temporarily the Iron Rose)
in April 21st, 2007 @ 17:23The man with the Pukis-pelt scarf came towards Ren, who was watching him intently. Captain Pye seemed to be watching Ren, wondering what his next action was.
“Come here, Pooky, Pooky,” cooed the trapper. “Here girl.”
The Pukis hissed and turned into its cat form.
The trapper looked at Ren. “Here, little boy. Bring her to me! She’s mine ya know!” the trapper said.
“No!” Ren yelled. His body was hot and tense. He was trembling with anger, and just wanted to let it out. He could not, though. He could not get angry, or else bad things would happen. Ren took off running. He heard the shouts of the trapper, Niria, and Captain Pye behind him, but he would not stop. He ran past people of every race and every size. Many of them passed him without noticing. He looked over his shoulder and saw the man running after him. The trapper was getting closer and closer. Ren could barely run anymore though. He was about to collapse. The Pukis’ claws were digging hard into his shoulder. One thought came to his mind: [i]flamulo podias.[/i] Ren had no idea where that thought came from, or what it meant, but he suddenly stopped running. He turned around and the man was looking at his feet. They were on fire, but Ren showed no pain.
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190
Donald the Krakkeneater, Second mate and Navigator of the Sea Roc(and now temporarily the Iron Rose)
in April 21st, 2007 @ 17:23shoot, Italics didn’t work. Oh well. I know what I did wrong.
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191
Alice
in April 22nd, 2007 @ 11:29Can we please have a new thread? This is ridiculous. DtK,SMaNotSP(anttIR), who’s feet were on fire? Ren’s, or the Pukis-trapper’s?
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192
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 22nd, 2007 @ 18:00Ren was. Sorry, I didn’t make that clear enough. And you are right-We need a new thread. No one is here anymore.
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193
Alice
in April 22nd, 2007 @ 18:10Um, why did Ren set his own feet on fire. That doesn’t make sense. But anyways.
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194
Alice
in April 23rd, 2007 @ 16:59Darn it! Hello?
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195
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 23rd, 2007 @ 19:06Alice-I don’t know. I thought it would be an example of his powers. I left it up to someone else to figure out how it helped him. WE NEED A NEW THREAD! NO ONE POSTS HERE ANYMORE! I mean, even Prarilius Canix left!
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196
Alice
in April 23rd, 2007 @ 19:19Maybe it didn’t help him. Maybe it was meant to set the Pukis trapper’s feet on fire, but Ren, being new to this, botched it. I promised the GAPAs I wouldn’t nag about a new thread when they made Books in Progress, Part 2, so I can’t help except indirectly.
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197
Alice
in April 23rd, 2007 @ 20:48Ren watched the fire fearfully as it licked his ankles. The Pukis hissed alternately at the flames and the trapper, who was staring frozen at Ren’s feet. Ren recalled the captain’s words: “Those with fire power seem to be more susceptible than others.” The little conflagration was gaining power, and now it was halfway up his calves. And now it hurt. Time seemed not to exist as he watched his lower body be consumed in fire.
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198
Prarilius Canix
in April 24th, 2007 @ 16:46((I haven’t left, I’m just lurking, and I have writer’s block. Correction: I had writer’s block. Now I have an idea.))
Then the Pukis on his shoulder sprang into action. She scrambled down his shirt and puckered her lips, switching to dragon form as she did so. With a loud slurp, she inhaled the fire, ballooning out her cheeks. The trapper sprang away, but he wasn’t fast enough. With a loud sound like an alchemical explosion mixed with a massive belch, the Pukis spat a huge ball of bluish flame at her former master. The fat man’s fancy, white wig exploded into cinders, and he was left with a meager crop of thinning brown hair and several sooty marks on his face.
The Pukis shifted back into kitten form. Ren walked away with what he hoped was a jaunty, confident step.
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199
Purple Panda
in April 24th, 2007 @ 16:55I think we need more description of Pukis’s. They aren’t really described in that much detail and I think we may need to make a profile for them..?
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200
Hydropastrican Grand Admiral Prarilius Canix, Captain of the Black-footed Ferret and the Zommer Vaycayshun
in April 24th, 2007 @ 17:27My description of Pukises is in post 96.
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201
Alice
in April 25th, 2007 @ 13:29I still have writer’s block.
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202
Alice
in April 25th, 2007 @ 23:20Is this thread practically forgotten?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It wasn’t very convincing, though, as a short ways away he sat down very suddenly and looked at his feet. They were badly blistered, but he decided he could walk back to the quay. If he could find it, that is…
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203
Alice
in April 26th, 2007 @ 17:48Attention, Prarilius Canix, Donaldo the SAN, Purple Panda, Cat’s Meow, and anyone else who’s been working on this! We MUST make an effort to get to 300 posts so we can have a new thread! We need one desperately!
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204
E2MB
in April 26th, 2007 @ 18:17I can chain post if that will help.
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205
Rebecca Lasley (Administrator)
in April 26th, 2007 @ 18:23(204) Thanks, I needed a good laugh.
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206
Cat's Meow
in April 26th, 2007 @ 18:32203-I’m really, really sorry that I haven’t been posting much. I will help all I can.
———“Where is Captain Pye!?” Ren suddenly thought as he sat down with a thud. “I must have lost him in all the confusion. What on Sphaere am I going to do?”
Suddenly a foreign thought touched his mind. “What’s going on!?” he shrieked, leaping up and raising his fists in helpless self defense. The thought hit him again. Another small thought called out to him. “Who are you?” he snarled. Now that somebody had mastered mind touching, apparently, keeping his secret hidden from the empire would be more difficult than he thought.
However, the next thought felt now harsh and threatening, like he expected, but almost gentle. But really, who would want to be gentle if they could read minds?
A sound like a crackling flame seared through his head and the soles of his feet began to throb. “Aaaaaargh!” he yelled. In a second, the feeling passed, but when he opened his eyes there sat the Puki from the marketplace, the blue one with the shiny orange eyes.
“Felt that, did you?” the voice purred, and finally Ren understood who the mysterious mind reader was.
—–
There! So, the thing is, Ren can talk to Pukis because of his fire powers, but with most of them he can only communicate with emotions. However, there are a few, like the blue one, that he can communicate in words with. I was thinking that it could sort of become his sidekick, but it’s up to you.
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207
Cat's Meow
in April 26th, 2007 @ 19:19205-But really, if we get to 300 posts, or somewhere remotely near that, will you give us a new thread?
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208
Rebecca Lasley (Administrator)
in April 26th, 2007 @ 19:29(207) Yes, though blatant filler posts don’t count. Hmm, how about 250?
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209
Red-tailed HAWK
in April 26th, 2007 @ 19:34I know this might get zapped if the GAPAs think it’s a popo, but why do they need a new thread? This one was just made at the end of last month.
I would add to the story, but I never have enough time to read back, and things are added too fast.
Le Faucon
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210
E2MB
in April 26th, 2007 @ 19:53209 – That’s the way it is with me too.
And they want a new thread because threads on the main page are noticed more than ones with a feeble link among many on the “Don’t Forget These Threads” section.
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211
Rebecca Lasley (Administrator)
in April 26th, 2007 @ 19:54(209) Your post is not a popo. The question is legitimate.
For one thing, they’re drifting to the bottom of the second page; for another, RRR threads tend to run longer with fewer posts because they contain more lengthy entries than some other threads; third, the regulars are making a worthy and valiant effort to spur some momentum instead of simply begging for a new thread.
Plus, it’s the end of a very long day and I just feel like being nice.
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212
Alice
in April 26th, 2007 @ 20:12I don’t have time to write at the moment, but- wait! I’ll be right back!
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213
Prarilius Canix
in April 26th, 2007 @ 21:55Popo means… um… derriere in German. Just so you know.
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214
Prarilius Canix
in April 26th, 2007 @ 21:59“There is a water spirit in the vicinity,” the Pukis continued. “His essence chills me. I believe my old master is speaking with him. Over there!”
The last thought switched from a gentle purr to a harsh yowl. Ren swiveled around just in time to overhear some of the conversation.
“…definitely had fire talent. Did you see how the Pukises were drawn to him?”
“I did. Vashkar will be pleased. Mordran may even see fit to reward you.”
The latter speaker was a mysterious figure in a blue cloak. Just as Ren tried to get closer, the figure exploded in a blast of freezing spray. A stormy petrel rose from the churning water and flew off to the East.
Ren felt as though his stomach was filled with sour milk. “They know,” he whispered.
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215
Alice
in April 26th, 2007 @ 22:05208- Thanks, Rebecca. I’m going to think about this, and I should be able to post by-um- midnight MB time. Sorry, but that’s it.
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216
Alice
in April 26th, 2007 @ 22:16Or not. Prarilius Canix’s post helps a lot.
~~~~~~~~~~
“We have to get back to the Captain,-um- what should I call you?” said Ren.
“No need to be so loud,” thought the Pukis. “Call me…” Here it thought something unpronounceable.
“What!” Ren ejaculated, accidently out loud. “Sorry,” he thought more quietly, “but I can’t possibly say that. Can I call you Alexis?”
“I suppose,” the Pukis thought back. “Now, we must get you back to you Captain. I have to leave soon.”
“Why?” Ren didn’t want Alexis to leave, so soon after they’d met.
“I have to lay my eggs soon. I’m sorry. Perhaps when my kittens are grown we will meet again.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry, ’bout that, but this is reminding me of many books, and a Pukis sidekick is just going to make it worse. But she can come back later.
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217
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 26th, 2007 @ 22:22Ren knew he had to get back to Captain Pye, but how? Suddenly, a thought came to his mind from the Pukis. “Use your power. Back there, when you scared away my owner, you used some. Try it now.”
“But how?” Ren asked.
“You musn’t focus on using your powers. If you do, they will not work. Just let them come to you.” So Ren sat there at the bench, tending to his legs and watching the ships go by.
After about an hour, he stood up and glared at the Pukis. “This isn’t working!” he exclaimed.
“Be patient,” said the Pukis. “Later, you will learn how to use your powers in the here and now, but this is not the right time.”
So Ren sulked for about another half hour, but finally a word came to his mind. Flamulo helioso, were the words. As if it were a reflex, Ren closed his eyes, and spread out his arms. He had no control over this, and when he tried to put his arms down, they sprung up again. He felt some heat on his arms, and when he finally opened his eyes, his arms were on fire. The Pukis was flying next to him. Ren looked down: they were a good 50 feet above the island. Ren saw the Sea Roc and then glanced over at the Pukis, which was flying with him. “Quick! Get over to the ship before you become susceptible to the fire and burn!”
Ren flapped his arms and dove towards the ship like a falcon. When he got close to the ship, he slowed and landed with a thump on the deck. The fire on his arms sputtered and spat and then went out.
Captain Pye walked over to Ren and grabbed his shoulder. “What in Sphaere have you done, boy?”
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 26th, 2007 @ 22:24Whoops. Italics messed up again. And sorry, I didn’t realize the Piukis left. Maybe we can edit it in the final story or something.
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219
Alice
in April 26th, 2007 @ 22:31She didn’t leave yet. But she was going to soon. She couldn’t stay with Ren.
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220
Alice
in April 27th, 2007 @ 21:18I don’t like my last post. Can we just ignore it? I may still try to get rid of Alexis, but I REALLY, really, don’t want post 216. I regret it deeply.
This reminds me of other books. How irritating. Oh, well, I’ll get over it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He then flew into a towering rage. Ren sat there, conversing silently with Alexis, and not really listening to the Captain at all. He did, however, notice when the noise ceased abruptly.
“What?” asked Ren, startled out of his reverie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Cat's Meow
in April 27th, 2007 @ 22:50220-Oh, okay…so are we backing up to the post before that?
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222
Alice
in April 28th, 2007 @ 10:37221- No, I think we’re just using Donaldo’s, and then my last one. (220)
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223
Cat's Meow
in April 28th, 2007 @ 20:00222-Okay.
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Alice
in April 28th, 2007 @ 20:06Are we the only ones here? Again?
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225
Alice
in April 28th, 2007 @ 21:11Come on! We can make it to 250 if I have to write us there myself. (Though hopefully I won’t.)
~~~~~~~~~~
“Your legs!” said Octavio Pye, aghast.
“What? Oh.” Ren looked down at his legs. His pants were burnt up to the knee, and what of his legs was visible was blistered. “It doesn’t hurt that much,” he lied.
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226
Cat's Meow
in April 29th, 2007 @ 10:54“Go to your cabin right now!” the Captain commanded, fiercely staring Ren down. “Even fire WOUNDS can be dangerous to you. I believe they take you down from the inside.”
Ren sheepishly walked to his cabin and lay down on the bed. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t actually slept on it much. He lay his head down and began to doze off.
“Wake up, boy!” the voice of Octavio Pye said, searing through his groggy head. “Now, I want you to tell me exactly what happened to you. Don’t leave anything out. And I’m especially interested in learning how you came upon THIS.” With his last word he yanked the furry figure of Alexis from behind his back and waved her in front of Ren’s face. “Do you want Marmalade to be so jelous that she burns our entire ship into the sea?”
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227
Alice
in April 29th, 2007 @ 11:01“Marmalade would do that!” Ren was shocked.
“She most certainly would,” said Captain Pye grimly. “She’s had a hand in sinking most of the ships we ever pirated, and she could certainly sink this one.”
Alexis sank her teeth into Captain Pye’s hand and jumped onto Ren’s bed.
“Alright,” said Ren slowly. “I’ll tell you the whole story.” And so he did, starting with the Pukis trapper, and ending with the fact that he could speak to Alexis.
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228
Cat's Meow
in April 29th, 2007 @ 11:14227-Sweet, you’re on. Let’s try to make some serious progress.
—“Wow. Simply wow,” Captain Pye said when Ren had finished. “That’s some serious stuff. I mean, being able to use powers even without the orb? I’d be willing to bet the next ship’s plunder that you are the only person in the HISTORY of Sphaere that’s been able to do that with fire power.”
Ren blushed, and stared at his feet. Suddenly his head snapped back with a jerk. Alexis looked into his eyes innocently.
“Sheesh, get a grip on yourself,” she thought calmly, only half joking. “You need to stop acting so suprised every 3 seconds when you learn about yet another of your powers. Considering how many more there are to come…”
“What!?” Ren said, shocked. “I have more?”
“What’s wrong, Ren?” the Captain asked worriedly.
“Nothing.”
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229
Alice
in April 29th, 2007 @ 11:57“Are you sure?” For some reason the Captain was suddenly very concerned. “You’re talking to yourself.” Exactly like Tam, he added mentally.
“I’m talking to Alexis,” said Ren.
“Ah. About Alexis. We’re going to have to work something out with her and Marmalade. I understand that she’ll have to stay on the ship, but I’d rather not end up in the sea with a blackened hull for a ship.”
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 29th, 2007 @ 13:12Sorry. I was on a campout for the weekend so I couldn’t write.
Captain Pye stood up and walked out of the cabin, going to find Marmalade. Alexis followed, and Ren was alone. Or so he thought.
He heard a slight rush of wind, which was odd because he was in his cabin and suddenly a small fire went on in the corner of the ship. “What the heck?” Ren said to himself. Did I do that? I couldn’t have. I don’t think so, at least.
The fire got bigger and bigger. Ren wanted to warn the captain, but his feet were glued to the spot. Soon it would reach his small bed, and then him and–Ren couldn’t think about that. Suddenly, the fire went out, leaving a dark black hole. Ren walked over to it and touched it, expecting ashes and burnt wood, but it was a gooey liquid. As soon as Ren touched the liquid, he was pulled into it. He tried to cry out, but the goo clogged his throat. He looked around and saw images moving around him and heard voices. Suddenly, the images cleared away, and he was standing on a gray ship. No one took notice of him except for a boy swabbing the decks next to him. “Ren?” the boy asked.
Ren suddenly knew who the boy was. “Tam,” he breathed.
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Alice
in April 29th, 2007 @ 13:32230- That’s GREAT! I really really like it. I’ll write more later.
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232
Alice
in April 29th, 2007 @ 14:41Captain Pye found Ren lying on the floor of the cabin. He was asleep or in a trance, and appeared to be holding a conversation with a voice unseen. He was talking to Tam, though the Captain didn’t know it.
Rake Vashkar looked at Tam. He was kneeling on the deck, a holystone ((that’s what they use to scrub the deck)) in his hand and a bucket by his side. But he wasn’t scrubbing the deck. He was talking.
“Where is this?” asked Ren.
“The Blood Storm,” replied Tam.
“Did you set something on fire?”
“Me? No.”
“Did you know you have fire power, Tam?”
“How do you know about that?”
“Because I do too. I set my legs on fire. See?” He gestured to his blistered calves.
“Ouch,” said Tam sympathetically.
Ren frowned. “You do know about your talent. Captain said you didn’t.”
“The Blood Storm’s weatherweaver told me about it. He wants me to use some orb.”
“Oh, no,” moaned Ren. But then the greyness that surrounded him and Tam closed in, bringing with it all the previous images. He cried out, and woke.
~~~~~~~~~
I know I wrote a lot, but I had a lot of inspiration.
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Alice
in April 29th, 2007 @ 14:57Donaldo, I have been compiling this story and I’ve come across a post that doesn’t seem to fit ANYWHERE! Here, I’ll post it right here.
When Tam woke up, he found himself lying on the deck of the Blood Storm. Crewmembers were running around all over, climbing up ropes, pulling up sails, and just trying to run for cover. Up by the bow of the ship was a man with a long, red robe, a golden hoop earring in one ear and short, violet hair. He was waving his arms around and shouting, looking out towards the water. Suddenly, the man stopped, and looked straight at Tam. Instantly, Tam knew who it was: Rake Vashkar, the weatherweaver who had caused the storm that brought him over to this wretched ship. A man rushed up to Rake and asked him, “How is the storm going? Are you gaining control?”
Tam, with his keen ears, was able to listen to the response.
“No,” the weatherweaver answered. “It is too much.”Is this absolutely necessary? I do like it, but I can’t decide where to put it. If I put it where it was meant to go, then we have to write more about the storm, why Tam was lying on the deck, etc., etc.
Tell me if it’s okay to take it out. I was thinking we could hang onto it and put it somewhere else.
Right after my most recent post, for example. What do you think?
Oh, and anyone else who wants to put in their two cents; please do. This is not just for Donaldo, even though it’s directed at him.
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 29th, 2007 @ 19:30233-You can get rid of it-I don’t really care. I thought it might be interesting for a weatherweaver as strong as Rake to not be able to control a storm, manmade or not. But it doesn’t matter. Do what you want with it.
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235
Alice
in April 29th, 2007 @ 21:08No, I like it. I found a good place for it too. Right here. After the weird separate reality thing between Tam and Ren.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Tam woke up, he found himself lying on the deck of the Blood Storm. Crewmembers were running around all over, climbing up ropes, pulling up sails, and just trying to run for cover. Up by the bow of the ship was a man with a long, red robe, a golden hoop earring in one ear and short, violet hair. He was waving his arms around and shouting, looking out towards the water. Suddenly, the man stopped, and looked straight at Tam. Instantly, Tam knew who it was: Rake Vashkar, the weatherweaver who had caused the storm that brought him over to this wretched ship. A man rushed up to Rake and asked him, “How is the storm going? Are you gaining control?”
Tam, with his keen ears, was able to listen to the response.
“No,” the weatherweaver answered. “It is too much.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We shall now proceed as if this was my post.
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236
Alice
in April 30th, 2007 @ 10:32Fine then. I shall proceed.
~~~~~~~~
He couldn’t control the storm? Why not? And what on earth was Tam doing lying on the deck? Where was Ren? These were just a few of the baffling questions that ran through Tam’s brain. His next thought was, I’m scrubbing the deck. Huh. What about all those fancy positions I was promised. Then he answered himself with, I only get a good position if I promise to work that orb. It was tempting, that was for sure.
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Prarilius Canix
in April 30th, 2007 @ 16:56Let’s have Tam help the Sanguiz Empire. It would be a twist to tell the story from the perspective of the guy who was ultimately going to be the villain.
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Alice
in April 30th, 2007 @ 17:12Yeah, good idea. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to tell the story like that.
And also, even though we think of the Sanguiz Empire as the villain, the people who work for it don’t.
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239
Alice
in April 30th, 2007 @ 19:41Very, very, tempting, in fact. Tam looked down at the holystone in his hand, and the vast expanse of deck that he was supposed to scrub. If he just accepted the offer, he would never have to do this again.
At any rate, what had the Empire ever done to harm him? Just because the pirates hated Sanguinus IX didn’t mean he had to. And what the Emperor did couldn’t be any worse than what the pirates did. Never scrub the deck again… Any position, even first mate… Wages of up to ten aurums a day…
His mind made up, Tam walked across the deck towards Rake Vashkar, who was looking drained and not a little angry. Tam summoned up his courage.
“I will use the Orb,” he said.
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240
Alice
in April 30th, 2007 @ 19:43Actually, between “couldn’t be any worse than what the pirates did” and “never scrub the deck again” there should be a paragraph break.
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241
Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 30th, 2007 @ 19:45Great idea. I’ll continue.
Tam thought through the idea more and more as he just sat on the deck. Everyone was too busy to notice him, so he just sat there. As he thought over the fact of using the orb again and again, he realized it would pay off to help the Sanguiz Empire. He’d gain power, respect, and money even-none of which he had had on theSea Roc. He would even be able to meet the emperor, his wife, and his children themselves! And he might be able to become emperor if he was loyal enough. And he would make Tera his empress. He wasn’t sure why-just something about her made him smile. Yes, Tam decided. He would help the Empire and use that orb. What would be so bad about that? But now was not the time to tell Rake or the captain. He would wait.
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in April 30th, 2007 @ 19:46Oh, it looks like we posted at the same time, Alice. We can use yours. It is basically the same thing.
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243
Alice
in April 30th, 2007 @ 20:04Okay.
And let’s not put any romance in, if we can help it. That’s the kind of thing that would turn me off a book.
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244
Alice
in May 1st, 2007 @ 10:09Come on, somebody! Write!
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245
Alice
in May 1st, 2007 @ 14:18Only six more posts, and nobody’s writing anything! But then again, I haven’t been writing anything either, so I shouldn’t complain. Anyhow, here goes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Captain Pye’s face blurred into focus slowly, like water clearing after mud has been stirred up. “What happened, boy?” cried the Captain.
“They know!” Ren said urgently. “They’ve told him!”
“Told who? Who told him? Told him what?” The Captain was still worried, but now he was puzzled as well.
Ren sat up. “Vashkar told Tam, that he has fire powers. That means they know about it, which means that Tam isn’t safe no matter what he does.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, drama is good.
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246
Prarilius Canix
in May 1st, 2007 @ 16:38The Captain swore. “At least they don’t know about you.”
“Well, actually… ”
“WHAT, boy? Speak up.”
“The Pukis trapper told a disguised wave spirit that I had fire talent. The spirit mentioned Vashkar and Mordran.”
Pye jumped into the air, then landed with a loud thump. Fumbling through his pockets, he pulled out an object that looked like a dried kraken tentacle. Gnawing convulsively on it, Captain Pye paced the deck, muttering “Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.”
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247
Alice
in May 1st, 2007 @ 17:11Ren said nothing. He didn’t really understand why it was such a problem, after all, they wouldn’t need him until Tam could no longer work the Orb, and that was sure to be a while from now. But he could see that it was a much larger dilemma than he could comprehend, and he knew better than to ask the Captain why.
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Donaldo the supercoolio awesome nerd
in May 1st, 2007 @ 23:58Yet he did.
“Why is this such a problem, sir?” Ren asked.
“Well, not to make you feel a little jealous or something, but Tam, unlike you, is more gifted, in some ways, that is. He can have more control of his powers for a longer time. They aren’t as powerful as yours, but he can use them, with the proper training, up to an hour at a time. You can, at the most, only use yours for about a twenty minute period. Your powers are stronger and can cause more damage, but the time difference will certainly make a problem. He will be able to cause just as much, if not more harm than you ever could even with the best training. If he works for them, who knows what could happen.”
It took a moment for Ren to register this. “You’re saying that even though I am Powerful, Tam is even more Powerful?”
“Well, yes,” the captain replied.
“WHat if the two of us are working together? Does that change anything?”
“Yes. Your two strengths will combine, and with the globe, will make you two more powerful than anyone in Sphaere, except for the Unknowables.”
The Unknowables?Ren thought. What are those? Ren wanted to ask, but knew it was not the right time. Perhaps, later he would.
The captain and Ren were quiet for a long time, but Ren finally piped up. He said, in his most confident voice, “We must get Tam back, and we will.”
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249
Alice
in May 2nd, 2007 @ 10:07Donaldo, I think when you say “piped up” you mean “perked up”. “Piped up” is a way of saying “spoke.” Permission to change it on the draft?
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250
Alice
in May 2nd, 2007 @ 11:37The Captain sighed. “I admire your confidence, Ren, but it may be too late.”
“What do you mean?”
~~~~~~~~~~
God, what a pathetic entry. Sorry.
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251
Alice
in May 2nd, 2007 @ 13:36250 posts! Can we please have a new thread now? If you choose to ignore this, GAPAs, I won’t ask again until we get to 300.
[That's reasonable. RRR posts tend to be longer than those on other threads. I've also lengthened the blog's "pages" so you can see a few more posts without clicking back in time. --Robert]
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