A Ship's Voyage

The cargo ship "Serpents Daughter" methodically moves through the waves. On the surface this ship looks like any other cargo ship. But beneath its deck lay many dark and hideous stories, which would make descent people sick. The ship's crew took pleasure in seeing and creating pain; and there were many smiles from the crew. The crew itself consisted of goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, humans, drow, halflings, bugbears, and other evil beings. They were united under the same banner (a serpent eating the sun), but were united by evil, for evil purposes.

The ship itself consists of many decks. On the Main deck, that's where the animals are kept for trade. There are horses, dogs, cows, and other common domestic animals. There are also exotic animal such as tigers, zebras, lions. At the beginning of this voyage there were many more, many were lost because of crews neglect and size of the load.

The lower decks are where the real valuable cargo was kept; the slaves. Some will not make to the end, but that ok. They will be food for the animals. "Waste not, want not" was the captain's motto. The slaves came from various areas, his clients wanted variety and he provided. This trip was very fruitful with elfs, humans, dwarfs, halflings, and gnomes.

The slaves were kept inline by half orc and his two bugbears companion. Grog the half orc made the rest of crew look like saints. His past time was torturing. He loved it. If he had his wish, he would sail around the world, getting new victims. It was all he wants it to. But the captain kept a tight leash on him now, after the last voyage.

The captain had to threatened the crew include Grog with walking the plank, if any more slaves were killed because there were to many loses. Weeks after wards, Grog imagined what it would be like to torture the captain. Noticing the change in the crew's mood and the ship becoming dangerously close to a mutiny, the captain brought in some changes. The slaves would take over all non - sailing chores, provided nightly entertainment. And to Grog he made one special concession. Grog would be able to kill any slave he want once ever fortnight and if Grog so decide to forgo killing a slave the captain would pick a crew member to dead at his hands once a month. This made Grog very happy, for there is nothing like fresh pain screams of a die creature.

On every expedition Grog always picks his favourites to tortures. Every slave got their fair share, but these brought him the most enjoyments. This trip he had created a special torture chamber for them.This torture chamber had is own cell. The cell was an eight feet by eight feet. The were no lights. They were kept in the dark until playtime.

Grog had four torture chambers through out the ship, but this one is where he kept his pets Lydin Yue, Tugwyn, and Gworeth. Grog like the way that Lydin, a human, would block the pain for a while, but then the flood gates would open. Gworeth, an elf, would screams at the sight of Grog. Grog loved fear as a king loved being adored. Tugwyn, a gnome, would squeal and cry. Grog loved to see adults of any size cry by his hands. Yue, another elf, was a strong, slender being, Grog loved to see such as powerful being screaming for their lives at his hand.

Grog also loved power. Torturing gave Grog power in two ways. It gave him the physical power over individuals, but also gave him power through knowledge. At the start Grog did not listen to his victims, but over time he learn that people would sell their souls, and some did to him, to make him stop. In the rare cases were people resisted, he still gained valuable information. People would talk about happy times, sad times, the weather, their favourite things, basically anything, to forget about the pain and Grog listen. It was power and he soaked it all in.

It was Grog's idea to use the slaves for ship chores. Grog learned from the slave their occupations, their likes, and dislikes. He used this knowledge to help the captain with his problems. The captain was grateful and gave Grog something he want it, more power.
The ship made first of his two stop before the ship reaches its originating port. Here was where most of the animals and slaves were sold and Grog got a surprise.

It was many months since his pets came boards the ship. He thought their backbone was long gone, but he was wrong. After a night of heavy drinking with his bugbear guards, he decided to have some fun with his pets. He was going to lets his bugbear pals torture them under his watchful eye. When the two Bugbears, whom were anxious to start, enter their cell, Yue and Lydin gave charging out. Tugwyn, and Gworeth, froze. The look on the face said much, but their minds could not force their bodies to move after months of torture. Lydin came out live a madman, charging for a Brazier that was lit on the sidewall. Yue, try to fight hand to hand with Grog. The two bugbears came out of the cell and close the cell door and began to watch. It was a funny sight. Lydin was tried to lift a Brazier with his bare hands and Grog was laughing and Yue had the look of a killer in his eyes hitting Grog. The two bugbears step in after a while to take care of Yue, while Grog played with Lydin. In a matter of seconds both were unconscious in seconds. There would be no training this night.

It was a long, but pleasant night for Grog. He punished and punished his pets all night. A part of him was happy, they had tried something. He was getting a little bored. It put back the joy back into torturing again and he was happy.

Several days had past, when he was awoken by aloud crash and the boat stopped abruptly. He gets up to see what happens, and realizes the boats is taking on water and orders his bugbears pals to get him a boat, there leaving. Grog wished he could take his pets, but he was sure he would see them again. Has the ship crashed into the unknown object one of the ship's crew snuck in to the cell area, where Grog pets were kept and unlocked the cell door. That would have to be enough.

It took a couple of seconds for Yue, Lydin, Tugwyn, and Gworeth to realize what was happening. Once they realized the door was unlocked and the boat was sinking, they came charging out of the cell. Maybe a little to fast, as they claimed the stairs and opened the door to the ship's main deck Yue, who had take in the lead, was hit and fell backwards, taking the group with him, tumbling down over the stairs. After they groups, untangle themselves, they move back up the stairs a little more cautious. Once they reached the main deck, they realized the ship was abandoned.

Even after months of torture and confinement the party moved in action, with surprising spend. Lydin moved to save animals, which saw himself as the self-appointed protector of the animal kingdom. Yue, went looking for a boat and Grog. Tugwyn and Gworeth went looking for their weapons and equipment. Lydin managed to release most of the animals with some help from Tugwyn. Yue found a boat, but it contained Grog and was sailing away. Gworeth could not find anything useful but spotted land to the east.

A quick survey of their situation, they realized they had one option for survival. It was to jump and swim for their lives. The party jumped into the water, reaching for any piece of wood or floating object they could find. Yue , made to shore with relative easy. Gworeth and Tugwyn made to shore, but they had a couple of scare moments. Lydin almost drown three or four times. It was shear determination that kept him alive.

As Lydin, come out of the water, he immediately turns his attention to finding his animal companion, screech, and a leopard. He looked at all animals as his companions, same as any humanoid, but from a special bond with screech on the ship. He spotted his friends track and follow them into a near by bush. He greatest fear is realized, she is dead. Lydin is filled with the feeling of dread and failure. He let down a friend, when they need him the most. Little does he know , he is the reason she survived to this point but is trail of blood leading way from her, and their was a strange sound. Lydin recognizes the sound ? Its a young kitten, Screech was pregnant. Screech got her dieing wish to have her baby free.

In their search for Lydin friend the party never noticed the large group of horsemen, which gather up on the beach. There is no way for the party to run. The horsemen, who numbers were close to hundred men, approached slow. There was nothing for the group to do, but wait.