Our party are:
- Corwin: a curious fellow and agent of old Bes
- Montague: a dashing young fellow with a romantic notion of life at sea
- William: a man of means with a taste for the sweet life
As the day’s work comes to an end the bell tolls for Bloody Hour. Whilst most of the crew make their way to the main deck William is terrified at the prospect of pain and decides he’ll hide amongst the ship’s cargo.
As each new recruit presents for for their lashes Master Scourge takes their name into the ship’s ledger. Up first are the six pirates who attacked our party at the dawn bell, Corwin notices that Master Scourge seems to be going easy on them. Corwin is next and takes his lashes as any seasoned deck hand would. Scourge calls Ewan and Montague states he can’t stand by and watch a boy be whipped and thus volunteers to take both the boy’s lashes and his own, despite Scourge’s warning that he won’t strike Montague as softly as he would the boy. As the fourth lash fall Montague passes out, leaving two lashes owing at next bloody hour. Corwin takes him below deck and puts him in a hammock.
As everyone else’s punishment has been meted out Master Scourge notices one of the new recruits is missing, he sends a small group of pirates to find William and after a brief but jocular hunt they find him and drag him on deck. Mr Plugg had been so outraged by William’s flight that he opts not only to assign an extra lash to William, but also to deal the punishment himself and to use his cat-o-nine tails instead of the whip. William urinates at the prospect of the cat and is unconscious by the time the final blow has struck.
Sandara Quinn helps take the severely wounded William below deck and channels the might of Besmara to heal him as well as Corwin and Montague. As he comes to she states that “if you wish to ingratiate yourselves to the crew, some of you are doing better than others”. Corwin strikes William for his misdeeds and Montague joins in as the three explain the error of William’s ways.
Montague wants to return to the deck for his final two lashes but both Sandara and Corwin warn him that he best wait for tomorrow’s Bloody Hour, as it’s not wise to come between a pirate and his supper.
As they head back up on deck and see the rest of the crew the party are handed their rum rations by Grok who’s the first to mock William. The rest of the crew set about their entertainment and Montague attempts to find Grok, but is unsuccessful. Corwin sits with Tilly Bracket and, despite not making a good impression with her yesterday, makes another friend amongst the crew. Billy immediately heads below deck with insults about his damp trews ringing in his ears. Before he rests Corwin casts a healing spell on William.
The next morning before duties are assigned Corwin give Montague 25gp to recover his gear. William strides up on deck naked from the waist down and sees his own trews flapping from the ship’s figurehead. Plugg is offended by the indecency and assigns William to rat catching duties, he retrieves his trousers with a stern glare at the nearby pirates and successfully reduces the ship’s rat count.
Montague takes time out between his crow’s nest duties to visit Grok. Corwin’s 25gp aren’t enough to purchase back all of his equipment but fortunately the young swashbuckler’s charm seems to work on Grok and after some discussion she returns all of his gear for the 25gp.
As he goes about his repairs Corwin attempts to influence a fellow worker, Shivikah. She’s fairly hostile to start but he manages to get her to open up enough that she’s willing to share the names of the pirates who jumped the party at dawn’s bell the prior day.
As Bloody Hour arrives Montague has removed his shirt and is the first to the mast. Scourge lays into Montague but our Swashbuckler remains on his feet, glaring at Master Scourge who seems to swallow his words.
Having had a more successful third day the party take their rum rations and Montague returns Corwin’s 25gp, expressing his honour and that he’s a man of his words. Corwin uses a Cure Light Wounds spell on Montague to relieve the heat of the lashes and Montague retires to bed as the rest of the party contemplate how to spend their evening.