Javair and Vikos to War!

Javair strummed on Dutton's Harp.  The playful notes seemed to combine with the slap of the ship's sails in the wind, and the sound of the hull cutting the waves of the ocean.  All of these discordant sounds came together to form a beautiful song unlike any song that had ever been played.

Javair was smiling ear to ear.  There was nothing quite like the sound of Dutton's Harp. Javair mused.  He wondered if someday someone might call it "Javair's Harp."  After all, Dutton was simply one of scores of bards that had possessed Hiser's Gift.  Hiser's Boon.  The Harp Resplendent.  Yes, someday they would certainly call it Javair's Harp.

For his part, Vikos was nearby, fixing some damage to his armor.  He could more than afford to pay to have this sort of work done.  But, old habits die hard.  And Vikos only trusted repairs to his armor when he was the one doing the mending.

Around the two companions, the crew of the White Queen busied themselves with adjusting the sails, cleaning, and completing their portion of the ship-craft that kept the beautiful old ship sea-worthy and nicely trimmed.

Javair was shorter and thinner than his friend, and his hair style and clothing showed an eye for both vanity and the most current courtly norms.  The bard changed the pace of his strumming now, playing quickly and with more intensity.  The notes still combined with the sounds of the sails and the ocean, but now the wind whipped up and pushed the ship forward more quickly.

The bard stood, and played more feverishly.  The winds became a gale, and the rigging strained to hold the taut sails pulling the ship forward.  A few crew members rushed this way and that making adjustments and correcting problems, but the vast majority of the crew had found something bolted down to hold onto tightly.

The song continued for several minutes, and all the while Vikos struggled to ignore the whipping winds and to continue making his repairs.  A mist from the ocean had made everything above deck wet with salt water, including his armor.  Vikos reached for his large axe and held it above his head, anger in his eyes and pulling down the corners of his mouth into a scowl.  

Lightning struck down from the heavens, ripping open the sky in a fiery trail, and with a loud crack the lightning struck Vikos' axe with a deafening BRAAAAAKA-DOOM!!!

Javair stopped playing, the winds immediately subsided, and the ship slowed down so quickly and several crew members were knocked prone on the deck.  The bard slowly turned to his friend.  "No reason to be that way."

Vikos shook his head.  "We are going to war, Javair.  This isn't one of your diplomatic journeys or royal visits.  This is bloody damn war, and you need to take it serious.  No fucking around."

Javair waved his hand through the air, clearing the smoke from the lightning strike from the air.  Then he pointed at the fresh black mark on the surface of the axe Striker in Vikos' hand.  "You could have just said something.  No need for all that."

Vikos ran a cloth over his axe, cleaning off the black mark.  "When their are dead bodies trampled into the mud all around us, and the puddles are red with blood and cover our boots...when the howls of the mortally injured are louder than the sounds of battle...then...then you will be happy to hear Striker throwning lightning.  Then, you'll be glad to have me along."

Javair smiled, and ran a hand through his wet hair, smoothing it all back.  "I'm glad to have you along now, old friend.  You are my friend, and I depend on you unlike any other person on all of Kempin.  And I depend on you never so much, than when we are in the midst of some right gory carnage."

Vikos smiled back...a wolf's smile.  "They'll be no shortage of that in the coming days..."

Comments

    • Mark Stinson

      That's good to hear.  I thought he had sort of moved on from playing RPG's.  It probably feels a little bit like coming home, to be playing again.  :-)

      • Chris Snevets

        I've been texting with Matt the past couple of months. He has finally picked up 5e and started running some modules with his family.